Survivor Australian Highlands
by TJBambi93
Summary: 16 complete strangers will be marooned in the middle of the Australian Highlands. They will be engaged in total tribal warfare! With mutiny always on the line, it is certainly anybody's game! Who will outwit, outplay, and outlast the other 15 players to become the Sole Survivor? Rated T for uncensored swearing! The winner has been crowned!
1. Cast List

Jeff Probst was sitting in his office by himself for the time being. He was looking over documents for the upcoming second season of the new series of Survivor; _Survivor: The Australian Highlands_!

Jeff looked up at the camera in front of him, and smiled warmly, "Ah! Hello viewers! You're just in luck! I'm just about to begin the next Cast Assessment for Survivor's second series!"

"Soon, 16 new contestants will be marooned in the middle of the Australian Highlands!" explained Jeff, "Two tribes, Legaias and Prusol, will battle it out in intense tribal warfare! As they play the game, tribe members will have to ask themselves, "Am I on the right tribe?" or, "What can I do to further my own chances of winning Survivor?". But for now, let's meet the many castaways of _Survivor: The Australian Highlands_!"

– – – – –

 **THE PRUSOL TRIBE**

– – – – –

 **Name** : Dustin Steele

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 46

 **Job** : Store Clerk

 **Favorite Player** : Jud Birza ( _Nicaragua_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Dustin's 46 years old, but man when you talk with him, he sounds about 16 years old. He's all about being high, and doing all sorts of weird things when he tells your fortunes. But you gotta hand it to the guy; he's such a nice man! He's sincere, a little kooky, but I feel like Dustin will be underestimated out here. Nobody will take him seriously, which allows him to go very far.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Gregg Rose

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 44

 **Job** : Model / Pimp

 **Favorite Player** : Limberg ( _Distant_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Gregg was casted the minute we met him. He has the looks of a gang leader, but he's just a glorified pimp who picks up women, treats them well, and gets them to like him before he sends them home with no money. I don't know what or how Gregg's going to do in this game, but know this; he's going to be a great character no matter what he does.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Nicholas Massey

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 19

 **Job** : College Student / Model

 **Favorite Player** : Betty Murphy ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Nicholas is a superfan of this game, but I don't think he's cut out to play Survivor. He told me he was handed a lot of things in life, things that he didn't even ask for. He's got great looks for someone of his age, he's such a nice guy... but physically, I don't think he has it in him. Nicholas will only go far in this game if his tribe is willing to give him a chance.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Gretchen West

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 44

 **Job** : Lumberjack

 **Favorite Player** : Jason Hughes ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Oh boy... Big Gretch is wild, man. She's not the brightest bulb in the bunch... and that's being as kind as I could be. Gretch is going to be such an asset in physical challenges, because man when she gets in the groove, she pushes everything down in her path! Strategically... I can't see where Big Gretch is going to fall. She's going to make the merge, but that's as far as she goes.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Dylan Turnbull

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 27

 **Job** : Business Consultant

 **Favorite Player** : William Rose ( _Green Hill_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Last season, Dylan Turnbull was name dropped by one of our favorites; Jerry Perry. We immediately looked him up online, and found... one of the most interesting storylines we could possibly build on Survivor. We'll get to why later, but Turnbull is going to be amazing, I already know it. After meeting him in casting, I knew that this guy is going to win. I just know it. Gut feeling.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Tamara McKenzie

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 36

 **Job** : Bodybuilder

 **Favorite Player** : Dixie Kong ( _Blood vs. Water_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : I like Tamara's attitude towards this game. Some players just want to avoid voting anybody off for challenge reasons. They just want to kick start the game, and immediately begin voting off the threats. Well, Tamara won't play like that. Tamara wants to eliminate the weak players before they take control of the game! I like that about her, and I think she can very well pull it off!

– – – – –

 **Name** : Holli Cochrane

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 26

 **Job** : Stay at home Mom

 **Favorite Player** : Flareon ( _Cuties_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Going back to Turnbull for a minute there, he got into many arguments online with a user known as 'Ugaldr202'. One of the big things they argued about is how Survivor is played. Do you play with social skills? Or do you play with strategy? Holli is one of those players who adores the social players, and you know she has to rely on that. Because honestly... I don't see much else to her.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Sherry Brady

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 45

 **Job** : Wine Taster

 **Favorite Player** : Blanche Hogan ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : During casting last season, we were split between taking Professor Blanche... or Sherry. We took Blanche, obviously, and we immediately called Sherry back for her shot at the money. Sherry's a wild girl, definitely has energy at her middle age. But I think what will surprise people about Sherry is her motivation. She can rally up a crowd and talk up a storm! She's going to surprise us.

– – – – –

 **THE LEGAIAS TRIBE**

– – – – –

 **Name** : Norma Martin

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 35

 **Job** : Kindergarten Teacher

 **Favorite Player** : Raine Sage ( _Redemption Island_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : I feel like Norma's a sweet woman. She wants to be a role model for her daughters and for her students back home. I think she's got the brains and the strategy to play this Survivor game, but I feel like physically she's going to fall quickly behind. If Norma can build a solid alliance, she's bound to make it pretty far in this game. Otherwise, she's out early and that would be sad.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Mattie Griffin

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 24

 **Job** : Dancer

 **Favorite Player** : Danielle ( _Blood vs. Water_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : I love Mattie's energy. Mattie is such a sweet innocent girl, and I think she's willing to do anything it takes to win this game. She's sweet, she's cute, and she's got a lot of heart. She's willing to become a paid dancer in order to make money for her family, and that says a lot about her character. I think in the game, Mattie will be a loyal ally for many, but a feared foe towards the end.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Violet Pierce

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 26

 **Job** : Gamer

 **Favorite Player** : Yvette Tan ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : I sometimes wonder about Violet, and wonder if she's all real or just telling a big fib about her past. She says she dropped out of college despite becoming valedictorian in high school! Her reasoning? Because she wasn't learning anything. Something about that makes me scratch my head. But hey, you know, maybe she's telling the truth! She's definitely smart, I'll give her credit for that.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Simon Freeman

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 34

 **Job** : Immigrations Officer

 **Favorite Player** : No one

 **Jeff's Assessment** : I don't think there was a big reason on why we casted Simon for this season. We needed someone strong, good looking... and he fits the theme of tribal warfare. He works in that type of job where he has to help people enter this country legally. In the game of Survivor, you gotta ask yourself if you should be helping the enemy cross your tribe border, or eliminate them immediately.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Sergeant Rex Tran

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 36

 **Job** : Marine Soldier

 **Favorite Player** : Zaeed Massani ( _Forest Maze_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : The Rex Train himself! Sgt. Rex is known as a hero among his men. Battle after battle, Rex would charge in guns blazing, and he would be the one who saves the day! However... Survivor isn't a battlefield. While his troops adore him, I have no idea if his tribe members will adore Sgt. Rex. He's such a big personality, and it makes it hard to associate with him on a daily basis.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Bert Hall

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 55

 **Job** : Pro Golfer

 **Favorite Player** : Jermaine Marchetti ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Bertie played in the big leagues of golf way back in the day. He never teached the status of Tiger Woods, but Bertie came damn close to reaching that goal of his. Now retired with his grandchildren, Bertie comes out onto Survivor to do what Horace couldn't; make the merge. Bertie has it in him, but can he pull it off without being seen as a physical liability? We'll have to see.

– – – – –

 **Name** : Isabel Buchanan

 **Gender** : Female

 **Age** : 26

 **Job** : Military Nurse

 **Favorite Player** : Gadget Hackwrench ( _Singapore_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : Isabel's life was hard for her. Her parents never praised her often, her teachers never gave her credit for her hard earned work. She graduated medical school, and then joined the military as her last ditch effort to make a point in her life. However, instead of becoming a solider, Isabel used her medical degree to become a nurse, where she was finally appreicated. Out here, she may surprise us!

– – – – –

 **Name** : Phillip Sanchez

 **Gender** : Male

 **Age** : 38

 **Job** : Talk Show Host

 **Favorite Player** : Betty Murphy ( _Kermadec Islands_ )

 **Jeff's Assessment** : One more person that helped us promote the new series of Survivor was the host of the Late Evening Show, Phillip Sanchez! Last season, he wanted to apply, but didn't do to work contracts, but this season, they hired his twin brother to fill in for him on the Late Evening Show, and he's going to be busy playing Survivor. I don't know how he's going to do, considering his popularity.

– – – – –

There's the cast of Survivor Australian Highlands! Any pre season faves? A strawpoll will go up on Friday on the Australian Highlands wiki page on my wikia, so go and vote when it appears!

The premiere will be April 28th! Please join us there so long as I have no more keyboard issues on my laptop, lol!


	2. Episode 1 Nobody Learns On Survivor

Three helicopters flew through the many highlands of Australia, flying long and away from civilization. Two of the helicopters carried two different and unique tribes. The third helicopter carried the host of Survivor; Jeff Probst, on it. He had a big smile on his face.

"We are flying through the many highlands of Australia, home to many humans on Earth! It is a fitting environment for our second Survivor season to begin!" smiled Jeff, "We shorted down the group of Survivors to 16, and these 16 Americans are no ordinary slouches!"

The two other helicopters flew nearby Jeff's helicopter, and they were on route to the same location where the 16 players would be marooned for 39 days. One helicopter had light blue stripes on it, while the other had purple stripes.

"We have already separated them into two competing tribes; Legaias and Prusol!" explained Jeff, "In a back to basics season, no tribe swaps, it will become a blood bath of tribal warfare! That's the theme for this season!"

Among the players on the light blue Legaias helicopter, there was a young woman wearing military garb, a stern looking man wearing military garb and had flashy orange hair, a younger perky blond woman, and a stoic looking man with dark sunglasses.

"On the Legaias tribe, there's a sweet kindergarten teacher, a cold and lonely military nurse, a peppy dancer, a very successful college drop out, and a loud and proud marine soldier!" smiled Jeff.

" _Education gets you something if you work hard at it. I've spent most of my life becoming a teacher to young children, and I feel blessed to make my dreams come true. On Survivor, it's a cold, calculating game, but I will play it with my emotions at the door. I won't get side tracked by feelings." - Norma_

" _I made it very far in school. I placed high in many academy tests, scored high on my ACTs... but in the end? School was just a big waste of time, man. I got to college, and like... there was nothing worth learning. I felt like I learned everything. So I dropped out, and became a full time gamer." - Violet_

" _You might remember me as the host of the Late Evening Show with Phillip Sanchez! Well... I am that very Phillip Sanchez! I'm a huge superfan of Survivor, and I want to play the game I loved for so many years! I know people will recognize me, but I don't want to have that define my entire game." - Phillip_

" _Old people really don't do well on Survivor. They get injured, they get into fights, and they're just not meant to play Survivor. Well guess what? This grandpa won't back down from a challenge. I placed high in the game of golf, and I want to score several birdies on Survivor while I'm here." - Bertie_

Among the players on the purple Prusol helicopter, there was a stoned man with a green afro, a burly woman with red dreads, a bald older woman with a blue headband, and a tan skinned man with bushy eyebrows.

"On the Prusol tribe, there's a tough bodybuilder, a kind and social stay at home mother, a cocky but confident business consultant, a green haired fortune teller who's in tune with... something... and an arrogant, tough as nails model and pimp!" smiled Jeff.

" _Hey man... am I like... really here or something? Wow... this is some weird ass shit. I think I'm gonna need several doses to make sure I get this high again, man... I dunno... I just want to have fun I guess? Nobody's going to take me seriously so... man, Survivor's going to be one fun acid trip..." - Dustin_

" _I know I'm one of the youngest guys here, and I just want to play a solid game, that's all I ask for. My whole life, I've been handed so many things based on my good looks. At first it was pretty cool... but it just got old and annoying. Like, I know, I'm handsome, but I want to work for awards." - Nicholas_

" _Tch, man, of all the things I need to do to get away from the po-po, Survivor was the only thing they had running at the time? Amazing Race was key for me! Too bad that shit's canceled. Ah well, man, ain't nothing going to get in my way of the million dollars. Gotta make a living somewhere!" - Gregg_

" _I'm tough, and yeah, I know it! No man's ever beat me in a body building contest. Know that. I teach my students to be the toughest sons of bitches they can be, just like me! However... Survivor's a game where your mouth can lead you into trouble. So I need to tone back a bit, just in case." - Tamara_

"It's the ultimate challenge! 16 Americans forced to work together to create a new society! While battling the elements and eachother. They must learn to adapt or they'll be voted out of the tribe. In the end, only one will remain to claim the million dollar grand prize and the title of Sole Survivor! 39 days, 16 people, 1 Survivor!"

 **Legaias: Bertie, Isabel, Mattie, Norma, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, Simon, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Dustin, Dylan, Gregg, Gretch, Holli, Nicholas, Sherry, and Tamara**

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both helicopters landed at the marooning location, and all 16 players hopped out, and walked onto their tribe colored mats.

"Welcome to the second season of the new series; Survivor: The Australian Highlands!"

Everyone celebrated and clapped their hands after Jeff said that.

"Because last season was such a grand success, it only makes sense that we up the stakes while we're here," explained Jeff, "The theme of this season is going to be 'Tribal Warfare', and it means exactly what you think it means."

Everyone nodded their heads, wondering what that theme could entail.

Jeff then pointed at the burly looking military man on the Legaias tribe, "You in the military garb, what's your name?"

The man proudly smirked, and pounded his chest, "Sergeant Rex Tran! Just call me Sgt. Rex!"

"Alright, sounds like you're ready to take this theme seriously," chuckled Jeff, "Give it to me straight, Sgt. Rex, you're a soldier in the Marines, I'm sure, so tell me what you think of your tribe based on first impressions!"

Sgt. Rex looked over each of his fellow tribe members carefully before giving an answer to Jeff.

"Hah! Well, let me tell you something, Probst!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "My tribe is going to be the pride of Survivor! We have strong men, strong women, smart men, smart women... and I can tell all of that by looking everyone in the eyes! Gotta admire their spirit!"

Phillip, Bertie, and Isabel nodded their heads at Sgt Rex's words. Mattie and Violet shared an annoyed look with one another. On the Prusol tribe, Tamara rolled her eyes a little bit, while Gretch crossed her burly arms.

Jeff pointed out that eye roll, "Tamara, I can see you rolling your eyes over there. Clearly Sgt. Rex doesn't intimidate you in the slightest?"

Tamara shook her head confidently, "Hell no, Jeff! You think I'm arrogant like that? That guy is all talk and no show. We'll see who the big dogs are tomorrow, boy."

Both Gretch and Sherry nodded their heads in full agreement with Tamara. Sgt. Rex merely shrugged his shoulders, also not intimidated.

"Well it feels good to see that both tribes want to start a keen rivalry with one another," smiled Jeff, "That fits into the theme of tribal warfare. You will be in constant battle with one another, winning challenges, gaining advantages, and avoiding becoming a potential Traitor. There will be no tribal switches this season, so you have to make every second count until the merge."

Everyone nodded their eyes at Jeff's words. Jeff then tossed a map over towards Bertie and Dustin respectively.

"Here's a map to your new homes. The war begins between the two tribes. Which tribe will come out on top, and which one will fall apart at the seams? We'll soon find out. Head on out to your new homes, and I'll see you all in a few days for the first immunity challenge!"

– – – – –

Legaias Day 1

The eight light blue buffed Survivors arrived at their home for the next 39 days. Similar to the locations of Yoshi Desert and Dingo Canyon, there was a single oasis at their camp, and very few trees for shade.

Sgt. Rex dropped his bags and immediately began to flex his arms, "Hoooahhh! Yeeeahhh! We made it troops! Day 1 of our Survivor journey begins here!"

"Looking forward to all the adventures we have together, guys! Let's make it a fun 39 days!" smiled Phillip, beginning to shake everyone's hands.

" _Hah! Tribal warfare you say? Then you best look nowhere better than the Great Rex Train, baby! Hooowahhh! As a soldier in the marines, I will guarantee that my wonderful tribe, Legaias, is the last tribe standing! Better yet? I'm surrounded by my kind of people! What challenge is there?!" - Sgt. Rex_

Violet muttered under her breath, "Kill me already..." as well as sharing an annoyed glance with Mattie once again. It was clear that Sgt. Rex was making no friends with these two young girls. Not that he noticed at any rate.

Sgt. Rex was going around, and shaking everyone's hand firmly. The handshake he spent the most time with was Simon's. The two older men looked at eachother in the eyes as they shook hands. Without words, you could tell these two were going to be friends.

After awhile of introducing one another, Phillip broke the silence, "So! Uhh... I just want to get this out of the way right now. Does anybody here... recognize me? From television?"

At first, nobody really had anything to say. Suddenly Mattie raised her hand up, "Oh! Oh! I think I might have seen you before... but then again, I see a lot of tall, dark, and handsome guys on TV!"

"He's Trevor Noah's replacement," replied Violet, crossing her arms, "Phillip Sanchez, right?"

" _I know who Phillip Sanchez is. Always getting himself into trouble as a political commentator. Well... not that I disagree with his views or anything. We're both pretty liberal. However, seeing a celebrity like him on Survivor makes me suspicious. Why is he here? He doesn't even need the money." - Violet_

Phillip nodded his head, "Yep! I'm the one and only! I host the Late Evening Show on Comedy Central now. I just wanted everyone to know because, hey, we're a tribe, and someone's going to rat me out anyway."

"Always good to have someone famous on our tribe!" smiled Norma.

"Indeed!" grinned Sgt. Rex, giving Phillip a pat on the back, "Who cares if you're a celebrity? You're here to bring Legaias victory in the days to come!"

" _I have no shame in hiding my job as a popular talk show host. Sure, I get into political trouble, but you know what... I have no time for that. I talk about news, not fake news. If nobody can handle the truth, then that's just too bad. I hope my status as a celebrity doesn't bring failure for me." - Phillip_

"Anyone else got history that nobody else knows about? We're talking big leagues here." asked Violet, looking around at her tribe members.

Nobody really responded, but then Bertie raised his hand, "Do I count? I was labeled a pro golfer back in the day. Retired now... couldn't ever reach the status of Tiger Woods."

"Golfing is a lame sport, grandpa. It's nothing compared to a talk show host, but whatever floats your boat." shrugged Violet.

Bertie shrugged his shoulders at her response, "Whatever you say, then."

" _That one girl, Violet? Is that her name? I'm going to be bad with those while I'm here. But she's just not the nicest person in the world. She seems very cold, and rude to others. I really don't have the tolerance for her if she keeps it up. At least she's making first boot seem less likely for me." - Bertie_

Eventually, the eight tribe members split off to do different things to get their camp situated. While Sgt. Rex, Bertie, and Norma helped with the fire, Isabel, Mattie, and Violet walked towards where most of the only trees were to gather wood for the shelter.

"I don't know about you two ladies, but I'm not liking some of the guys here." noted Violet, softly.

Mattie nodded her head, "I don't know. I only really get bad vibes from Rex! Like, who needs a military guy around anyway! Like, no offense to you though, Isabel!"

Isabel didn't really react in anyway, "None taken."

" _Honestly, Rex is not the kind of guy I want to keep around in a game called Survivor! Like, come on, we're not at military camp, we're on Survivor! We don't need a guy like him ordering us about! Honestly, like, I'm about ready to start playing on Day 1, and that wasn't my plan originally!" - Mattie_

Isabel started to carry most of the wood the girls collected while Violet and Mattie just talked about strategy and the game. Violet looked over at Mattie, "The girls need to stick together on this tribe. It's the only way we can survive. Rex, Phillip, and Bertie are going to hold us back."

"Aww, but I like Bertie and Phillip! Phillip, especially, because he hasn't done anything wrong aside from revealing his true job!" replied Mattie.

"That's just it though," replied Violet, "Phillip's here for something. He has money. He doesn't need the million dollars. This isn't just another business trip for him."

" _I didn't come to Survivor for the survival. I came to Survivor for the gameplay. There's nothing I love more than fast paced strategy games, and Survivor is no different. Right now, the guys are going to hold us back. We don't need their strength. Besides, I feel like Rex is going to target the girls." - Violet_

"I really don't think Phillip has any bad intentions, Violet," replied Mattie with a frown, "Although I do think we can get rid of Rex and Bertie, and be just fine. Is that okay?"

Violet shrugged her shoulders, "I don't really care. As long as those three leave first in some order, I'm going to be a happy woman."

Isabel sighed to herself, as she picked up more and more wood, ignoring the two girls for the most part.

" _Mattie and Violet are not taking things seriously right now. On Day 1, we should be focused on shelter, building a fire, and building early relationships. As someone who's in the military myself, I don't think Rex is doing a bad thing by acting out as our leader. We need someone like him." - Isabel_

Isabel sighed once more, getting the attention of the two girls, "I think we should head back now. We have enough wood for the fire and the shelter... and we can always get more later."

Mattie nodded her head, "Yeah... and besides, I want to be there when someone gets the fire-"

Mattie was interrupted by the loud voice of Sgt. Rex, who boomed out a loud, "HOOOWAAHHH! WE GOT FIRE BOYS!"

"...going. Yep, let's see what that lunatic just did." said Mattie, as she, Isabel, and Violet left the area to head back to camp.

Back at camp, Sgt. Rex was celebrating, high fiving Norma and Bertie after successfully starting a fire using his sunglasses.

"Now that's how you do it! Hooowahhh! Nnneeeeyaaahhh!" Sgt. Rex grinned, and flexed out his muscles in an arrogant manner, "Let's see that purple team do better than us! I want to see them try!"

" _They don't call me the Rex Train for nothing! Leave it to the big guns to get anything done around here! I've been left alone to fend for myself many times in battle! How else did I know how to get a fire going with just sunlight and a few sticks? Determination, baby! That's how it's done!" - Sgt. Rex_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 1

The eight members of the purple Prusol tribe arrived at their new home for the next 39 days. It was no different from Legaias' camp, as there were very few trees, and a single oasis for water.

"I can't believe it, we're finally here!" smiled Nicholas, shaking hands and hugging most of his new tribe members.

"Of course we are, man... it's not like the camp would just walk up and run away... right? I know it happened to me once before, man..." replied Dustin.

" _One of my biggest dreams was to be on Survivor, and here I am! I actually worked hard to get on this show! I wasn't recruited, I wasn't pushed onto this show, I actually made it on my own! That's how I want to play this season; making my own moves, on my terms, and nobody doing it for me." - Nicholas_

Tamara clapped her hands together, "Alright! Introduction time! Name's Tamara. I work as a bodybuilder, and I have no troubles leading the tribe if nobody else will stand up."

Gretch nodded her head, "Name's Gretchen. Or Big Gretch! Whatever you like! I also like Tamara as leader. Leader need to be strong, and fearless! She fearless!"

"Well, I see nothing wrong with that. Tamara knows what she's doing, and believe me, I think she can pull it off." smirked Dylan.

" _If Tamara wants to be leader, go right ahead. I don't mind you building the target on your back, because it won't be on my back, that's for sure. I would make a fantastic leader. I know what I'm doing. But hey, glad to see someone taking one for the team. Glad to see nobody learns on Survivor." - Dylan_

Gregg clapped his hands together, "Yo, I go by many names. Name's Gregg Rose... but man, that barely has enough flash. Ain't going to do me no good. Call me G-Money, 'kay? Stands for "Gold Money", which is what I'm here for."

Everyone just stared at him like he was crazy.

"...G-Money? Seriously boo? Did Dustin give you something weird just before we came here?" asked Tamara, confused.

Dustin held his hands up, "Hey, man, don't look at me... that stuff's mine, man... I wouldn't give it away for free..."

"Besides, a nickname is a nickname! I remember mine from high school! I was once known as 'Bradilicious!'" grinned Sherry, before looking rather smug, "Well, I was once Prom Queen."

"Oh well. Don't like it, just call me Gregg, 'kay," he shrugged, walking past Tamara, "But I think the name, G-Money, has more rhythm, and pizzazz, don't you think?"

" _Listen, I ain't playing no game out here. This shit's the real deal. Take it or leave it. Got a lot on the line, man. I gotta run from the po-po every day. Being a pimp, you can see why they don't like me! Sometimes a side chick rats me out, and I gotta hide for a few days! It's how it works!" - G-Money_

"And a seat at the crazy table." muttered Tamara, but she shook her head, choosing to not discuss the topic any further.

Dylan broke the tension by introducing himself, "Anyway... name's Dylan Turnbull. Big, big Survivor fan, and work in business. Call me whatever you want. I go by first or last name basis."

Gretch grinned, "I like you, Turnbull! Bull's in your name, after all! You going to be a beast! We could use your strength and your brains!"

" _Turnbull already a friendly person! He going to be useful in challenges. Why else is he called a bull? Big Gretch knows she can win challenges. But happy to know that others are around to help win them when she cannot! Tamara, Turnbull, G-Money, and myself. We would be proud warriors!" - Gretch_

Holli raised an eyebrow a little bit after Dylan introduced himself, "Excuse me... Turnbull? I'm just making sure I heard that right."

Dylan nodded his head, "Yeah, that's just my last name. If you don't like it, you can call me Dylan."

"...all right then. Dylan it is, sorry." replied Holli, smiling lightly at him.

" _Before I got the call to be on Survivor, I was harassed online by another Survivor fan. He went by the alias 'Turnbull'. He called me a newbie, ignorant, and stupid, and told me I knew nothing about Survivor. The fact that Dylan's last name is Turnbull... I don't know. Maybe I'm freaking out." - Holli_

A few moments later, the eight tribe members split off into two different directions to begin working on camp. Tamara took charge for the time being, and started to work on a fire with Nicholas and Dustin. The other five tribe members took off to begin working on shelter.

"What kind of damn fool calls themselves 'G-Money'?" muttered Tamara to herself, setting up the fire pit, "Dude thinks he's Kid Rock or something. Too bad he's got muscle. Otherwise the joker's first boot. Tell you that much."

Dustin shrugged solemnly, "Don't be too harsh on him, man... maybe he has a dark past... and he like... just wants to ignore the pain of his suffering... that's why I became a fortune teller, man. To escape my inner demons."

"Wait, you're a fortune teller?" asked Nicholas, surprised, "Wow, I would have never guessed from your appearance! What kind of inner demons are you fighting?"

Dustin looked over at him with a glint in his eyes, "The same ones you fight, man... all the pain and suffering we humans go through on a daily basis... it's almost like... we're fighting the same ones, man..."

"That, or you just smoked something strange before we got on them copters." muttered Tamara to herself once more.

" _If I'm going to survive 39 days of a wild acid trip, I gotta get in tune with everyone's emotions, man... they say Survivor's a game show for a million dollars... wait... is it really? Wow man... I was out of the loop on that one... I thought it was for charity or something... maybe this will be fun after all." - Dustin_

Nicholas laughed a little bit, "Sure sounds like it, Tamara! Dustin, are you uhh... you know?"

Dustin nodded his head, "Oh yeah... yeah I am, man... it's like... really wild, man. You wouldn't want this stuff, man. Trust me... I'll tell you your fortune without a price man... it's how youngsters get fortunes in my business, man..."

"Looking forward to it whenever you're ready!" chuckled Nicholas, nodding his head at Dustin's words.

Tamara rolled her eyes, "Come on guys, we need to focus! Fire and shelter! Fortunes can come after this game is done, alright?"

" _Something tells me they straight up put me on the looney bin tribe. You got G-Money, you got Dustin, it's like the producers wanted me to blow up early, y'know? But... I can't let my emotions cloud my judgment. G-Money and Dustin are strong. As annoying as they are, we need them badly." - Tamara_

– – – – –

Legaias Day 2

It was early in the morning for the Legaias tribe. Sgt. Rex and Isabel were up really early to begin boiling water. Everyone else was still asleep.

"Sleep well last night?" asked Isabel, calmly.

Sgt. Rex nodded his head, "Absolutely! I'm used to these environments! I'm sure you're no different, eh?"

" _Isabel comes from the same blood as me! She's military, and I respect those in military! Sure, she's a nurse, but it still counts! In my boot camp, nurses deserve just as much respect as the soldiers! If someone falls in battle, it's their duty to bring them back to full strength! Gotta love 'em!" - Sgt. Rex_

Isabel nodded her head, "Yeah... I remember staying up most nights when I was on patrol. I was scared, but... I did it. Because I was finally appreciated for doing something."

"What made you become a nurse instead of a full blown soldier?" asked Sgt. Rex, curiously.

"They were on short of nurses one bad evening, so having been to medical school before joining the army, I decided to fill in," explained Isabel, "A few months later, I took a full time job as one. For once, like I said, people appreciated my work and efforts."

" _My whole life was just a hell hole. Nobody paid any attention to me. My father, my teachers, even my fellow peers. My mother died in childbirth, and that's what probably sent my father over the edge. After joining the military, I put those thoughts to rest, and just focused on me, and me alone." - Isabel_

"Well, let me tell you something girl," explained Sgt. Rex, grinning at her, "You're very much welcome over at my boot camp any time! In fact... I think we oughta test out our friendship here."

"Are you thinking about an alliance?" asked Isabel.

Sgt. Rex nodded his head, "Absolutely! Listen, Day 1, I shook hands with Simon. When I looked into his eyes, I knew he could be trusted. So it's you, me, and Simon. We can get more numbers along the way."

"Are you sure he'll be loyal? He seems like a decent guy." replied Isabel.

"Of course! My judgment. is never wrong! Hah!" grinned Sgt. Rex, pounding his chest.

" _I already had my alliance figured out from the beginning of this game! It consists of Isabel and Simon for sure. Two people that I know I can trust deep in my soul. The people voted off the Legaias tribe will be the people who do not contribute in any way, shape, or form! That's the bottom line!" - Sgt. Rex_

"I will say this though... Violet and Mattie were strategizing hard yesterday," explained Isabel, "Their first targets are you and Bertie. I don't like that way of thinking or playing the game. Violet especially rubs me the wrong way."

"Certainly not the way you should be playing this season of Survivor! It's tribal warfare! What idiots want to play this game another way?" asked Sgt. Rex, a tad irritated.

"Regardless, I have your back, and if you have my back, we're all good." replied Isabel, holding her hand out for Sgt. Rex to shake, which he gladly accepted.

" _Rex can be annoying, but I'm used to guys like him. Being in the military will help me in this game, because I know how to survive out in the wild, and I know how to keep my emotions in check out here. I can deal with most of the people on this tribe. I just need to find a way to be sociable." - Isabel_

A few hours later, the rest of the tribe started to wake up, and begin with daily chores for the first time this season.

However, two women stayed inside the shelter for the time being; Norma and Violet. Violet was wrapped up in her jacket, freezing a little bit.

"Are you going to be okay, hun?" asked Norma, looking over at Violet.

Violet shook her head, "Not sure... it's way too cold this morning... is this really what I have to put up with...?

" _I'm a gamer. I came out onto Survivor to play a game about strategy, voting people off, and winning a million dollars. I had no idea that the survival aspect was all too real. I figured we would be hungry, but the temperatures here in Australia... there's no escape from the cold or the heat. It's bad." - Violet_

"Well, don't let anyone catch you like this," noted Norma, quietly, "If people begin to realize you're not feeling well, or handling the conditions, they're going to want to vote you out first."

Violet rolled her eyes a little bit, "Yeah, well... I'm not that good with camping anyway. I'm at my best playing video games for strangers online..."

Norma frowned a little bit once she heard what Violet did for a living back home.

" _One of the things that frustrates me with today's millennials is that... they're just way too lazy. They'd rather become internet stars instead of nurses, firefighters, or police officers! Especially when a young woman is like that. It's no different from Betty or Yvette last season. It's about internet glory." - Norma_

"Is that all you do? Play video games?" asked Norma, quietly.

"I guess so. I mean, it pays the bills. After becoming valedictorian, I realized that I didn't really to need anything else. That I learned all that I could. College was... just the same old shit." shrugged Violet.

Norma bit her lower lip when Violet revealed that information about herself, "Really...? Honey..."

"Don't 'honey' me, please," muttered Violet, "I'm not your daughter. I'm a tribe member. We're playing a game, not playing real life."

Norma sighed a little bit, stepping out of the shelter as she left Violet to her own devices.

" _I can't stand Norma, honestly. She's a teacher, so of course she's going to be down my throat over my education and how I treated it after high school. But I don't care what she thinks. She's not my mother. She's a player in this game. Heck, if my real mother was here, I would treat her no differently." - Violet_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 2

Several hours into the second day, Tamara, Gretch, and Sherry went out for a talk to collect more wood far away from camp.

"I really hope y'all don't mind me saying this," said Tamara, "But our tribe? It's full of nutcases. I can't handle it."

Sherry pouted a little bit, "Aw, shucks, Tamara, I'm sorry you feel that way about me! Wait... you... probably don't mean me, huh?"

Tamara shook her head, "You're weird, Sherry, but you at least have your head on straight. G-Money and Dustin... now those are two dudes who need therapists."

" _Going into Survivor, and given the tribe I have now, I want to build a solid alliance that I can just check off right away, and move on from there. Big Gretch and Sherry? Two strong, older women. Women need to work together in this game. Them dudes are gonna team up eventually." - Tamara_

"But G-Money strong man!" replied Gretch, hauling a big log over her shoulders, "Why vote off strong man for no reason?"

Tamara shook her head, "Damn it, I didn't say that! I'm just saying it's... nevermind. They ain't my targets anyway, boo. Don't worry."

"Then why bring it up?" asked Sherry, confused.

"Because I want to set up a majority alliance," explained Tamara, "I trust you two the most right now. We got strength, we got... brains I think... and if we pull in a dude, we're so solid."

" _One of the things my friends told me before I left Minnesota was to keep my mouth shut, and speak only when spoken to! Now, I'm the life of any party. Bring me some wine, and I'm bound to talk for hours!" (She laughs a little bit.) "But here, I gotta hold back! So far, I think I'm doing well!" - Sherry_

Gretch grinned, "Then Big Gretch says we bring in Turnbull! It's in his name! Bull! He will do us good things! Many good things!"

Tamara nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm feeling Turnbull too, honestly. He seems straight up, confident. We could use him better than any of the other guys."

Sherry smiled at the two women, "Then by process of elimination, if we have to send someone home, I guess that leaves Nicholas and Holli as the odd ones out? I mean.. unless you really want G-Money or Dustin out first."

"Nah, those two will be pawns, I guess," shrugged Tamara, "They don't very smart to me anyway. So ain't bothering me to keep 'em around just for challenges."

"Hah! Then let's make this alliance official!" grinned Gretch, before doing a fist bump with Tamara and Sherry.

" _Big Gretch is already in power! Tamara honors strength. I am strong, like her! Like Turnbull! Like Sherry! We shall go far together in this game of survival of the fittest! Runts like Little Nick, and Holli? Bottom of the food chain. Won't last long out here in the Australian Highlands, unlike me!" - Gretch_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Dylan was busy finishing up a make shift roof for the shelter. Using leftover logs Gretch brought to camp, he stacked them on top, and tightened them with ropes.

Nicholas and G-Money were watching him from inside the shelter.

"Looking good from here, Dylan!" smiled Nicholas, clapping his hands together, "Where did you learn this stuff?"

"You learn a lot of things from the boy scouts, Nick," smiled Dylan, "Besides, it's the least I can do. I'm a giver, and when it gets hot out here, we'll have the shade. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Whatever works, right?" chuckled Nicholas.

" _I'm really impressed with Dylan so far! He's by far the most productive guy around camp. Works just as hard as Tamara and Big Gretch do, and I gotta say, he's amazingly hot! Well, for guy standards, anyway. I wish I had his looks! Being a model back home, I want to be more like him!" - Nicholas_

"Just make sure that shit don't fall on me, man," remarked G-Money, "I ain't feeling like looking death in the eyes again if that shit breaks and cracks my skull in half."

"Well, that's just going to be impossible," chuckled Dylan, shaking the shelter slightly, "See? Stable as can be. Believe me, this shelter isn't coming apart."

"Then keep up the good work, I guess, man." shrugged G-Money, dusting his hands off as he walked out of the shelter.

" _I already feel like I'm getting in good with just about everybody in the tribe. There's just one person that hasn't approached me; Holli. I don't know what her problem is, if she's shy, or if she's just stupid. I don't know. For a mother, I expected a more social woman. Maybe I'm wrong for once, eh?" - Dylan_

While this was going on, Holli was watching the trio talk and work around the shelter. Her eyes were kept on Dylan for the most part, and she drifted her eyes away anytime he would look in her direction.

" _Dylan's bugging the crap out of me all day yesterday, and all day today. It wouldn't bother me as much if I actually applied... but the producers came to me for a spot on the season. Even as a recruit, I'm a huge Survivor fan. Given the online bullying a month ago... it's just very suspicious." - Holli_

Holli soon left the main camp area, and walked down the path towards tree mail. She eventually ran into Dustin staring at a tree.

"Uhhh... Dustin? Are you okay?" asked Holli, looking at him oddly.

"Shhh... quiet, man... don't you see that Mister Oak is sharing his life story with me...?" shushed Dustin, glaring at Holli for a minute.

Holli sighed a little bit, "Dang it Dustin... I need to ask you something. You're a fortune teller, right? Would it right of me to ask you to... ask my fortune for this game?"

" _Dustin's a fortune teller... how I have no idea, but if he's a legit fortune teller, then maybe he could ease my paranoia a little bit. I won't tell him directly about my worries about Dylan, but if I could get a sense of what my future in this game will look like... then maybe I'll feel a whole lot better." - Holli_

"Whoa... really... nobody's ever asked me that before, man... in this game, I mean. Like... people ask me to tell them their fortunes all the time..." replied Dustin, nodding his head.

"I'm sure they do," replied Holli, quickly, "Do I need to do anything special... do you need anything special?"

Dustin shook his head, "Naw, man... I just need to get in tune with the spirits... though it helps if I have my special stuff... too bad I lost it somewhere, man..."

" _Yeah, I tell people's fortunes, man... it's not a bad job, actually. People want to learn more about... you know... where they come from.. and where their lives are headed... and that's why I think Holli came to me today. She wants to learn about her future... and I have the answers she needs." - Dustin_

"If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, then I don't think you had any at all." sighed Holli to herself.

"Shhh," shushed Dustin once again, "Even the winds need to talk to me once in a while, man... I'm listening to the spirits as they speak to me..."

Dustin closed his eyes, and held his arms out like a religious statue. He also made a weird humming noise as he did so. Holli just watched him oddly.

Soon, Dustin stopped humming, and opened his eyes, a little startled, "Whoa man... that was... that wasn't anything like I was used to, man... I'm sorry, Holli... I can't help you here. I need my special stuff, man..."

"Dang it Dustin... it's fine, whatever. I'll be fine. Yeah..." muttered Holli to herself as she left Dustin alone.

" _Or maybe Dustin's one giant fraud. Isn't that what most fortune tellers are, around here? They just take money and stuff for no reason other than to spout nonsense. And for what? For what? It didn't calm my nerves, and in fact, it only made me more paranoid. I need to get to the bottom of this." - Holli_

Dustin shrugged, and returned to staring at the oak tree, "Yeah... hey! That was uncalled for, man... don't talk about Mister Redwood like that again..."

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's immunity challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"For today's challenge, both tribes must traverse certain obstacles, including a dilapidated bridge, and pull a raft across the river while carrying a torch with you. It must remain lit. If at any time during the race that flame is extinguished, your tribe automatically loses the challenge. The first team to climb to the top of a 30-foot tower and ignite it with their torch wins immunity, and reward."

Jeff then pulled out a piece of flint from his pocket.

"Not sure how the two tribes have fared so far, but fire is key to survival out here in the Australian Highlands. If you have fire, you will be able to survive for a good long time out here. Without fire, you are vulnerable, and at risk of going home tonight. Let's get started."

Both tribes needed to select 5 people to run this challenge. Legaias selected Isabel, Norma, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Simon, while Prusol selected Dustin, Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, and Tamara.

"Survivors ready? GO!"

All ten players raced out onto the obstacle course. The first half of the course involved running through a hilly terrain. Carrying the torch for both tribes were Phillip for Legaias, and Dylan for Prusol.

Prusol had the stronger set of players for this challenge, so they were ahead for the first half of the challenge. Legaias fell behind due to Phillip and Norma not being as fit as the other three players in the challenge. Not to mention, Phillip was helping Norma over the difficult bits. Tamara and Gretch were leading the charge for Prusol, and soon Prusol made it to the raft section first.

Dustin and G-Money worked in sync with one another, pulling on the rope to get the raft across the river. However, they slowed down quite a bit during this section, which gave Legaias enough time to catch up with the Prusol tribe. Sgt. Rex and Simon were now in charge of pulling on the rope for Legaias.

While Dustin and G-Money were quite strong, Sgt. Rex and Simon were stronger, and because of that, they were able to get more 'push' on their pull. This gave Legaias enough time to catch up with Prusol. However, Prusol was already at the end of the river! Legaias needed to dig deep if they wanted to win the first immunity challenge!

However, getting out of the river was the hard part, as the path leading towards the tower was extremely steep. Tamara ran up the steep hill first, and helped her tribe members up. Just in time, Legaias caught up to Prusol, and started to do the same thing, with Sgt. Rex being in charge of helping his tribe members up the hill.

Tamara helped Dustin up the hill, and Dustin turned around to help Gretch up the hill next. However, Dustin was not strong at all to haul Gretch up, who was quite a hefty woman. Gretch's heavy weight was enough to pull Dustin off his feet and back down the hill. On the way down, they crashed into Dylan, who was carrying the torch. All three of them fell into the river, dousing Prusol's fire.

For the Legaias tribe, who had won by this point because of the rules, Sgt. Rex was able to help Isabel, Simon, Phillip, and Norma up and over the steep hill, and all five players raced towards the tower. Phillip climbed up, and lit the fire, sealing victory.

"IT'S OVER! LEGAIAS WINS REWARD AND IMMUNITY!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered.

"That's what I call team work right there! Legaias, you guys were able to work together, and pull through a tough challenge! Because of your victory, you don't need to attend tribal council, and you also have fire in the form of flint! But before I send you all on your way home... we have business to take care of."

Everyone listened carefully to Jeff's words.

"This season is all about Tribal Warfare. There will be a war between the Legaias tribe, and the Prusol tribe. Legaias, since won immunity, you now have to make a big decision. Choose one person from your tribe to sit in on Prusol's tribal council. This is a means to gain information about your enemy to use against them later in the game."

The tribe discussed the matter quietly, and made a decision quickly, which annoyed only a few people.

"I'm going, Jeff! Gotta represent Legaias with pride!" grinned Sgt. Rex.

"I shouldn't even be surprised at this point! Sgt. Rex, you will come to tribal council tonight to listen in on Prusol's vote. I'll see you tonight. Prusol, I'll also see you tonight, because one of you will have the distinction of being the first person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands. See you all tonight."

– – – – –

Prusol Day 3

With tribal council around the corner, the eight tribe members of Prusol had a big decision coming up. Nobody was safe, and nobody could predict what would happen tonight.

Down by the oasis, Tamara and Dylan were having a quick chat about the alliance made yesterday, and who to vote off.

"So here's the deal, boo," explained Tamara, "Me, you, Sherry, and Big Gretch. If we get our way tonight, we control the votes from here on out. You cool with that?"

Dylan nodded immediately, "Absolutely. Just tell me who to vote off, and I'll do it, okay? Believe me when I say that when I'm told to do something, I'll do it."

Tamara chuckled, "Good man! We're voting Nicholas off tonight. I know the challenge loss had nothing to do with him, but like, we don't need a runt like him around. Let a man be the first boot this season."

" _Listen, today's challenge was tough on all of us. Nicholas and Holli are our weakest links, and we can't afford to use them for very long! Like, sure, a combination of Dustin and Gretch cost us the challenge, but does Gretch deserve to be voted off for being... y'know, fat? Fat chance." - Tamara_

"Fine by me. You got my word on it." agreed Dylan, shaking Tamara's hand firmly. Tamara then left the oasis area, leaving Dylan by himself.

Dylan looked up from where he was, and saw G-Money walking by. He motioned a hand over to have him come over for a quick chat.

"You good with voting Nick out tonight? Good kid, but you can't haul dead weight." said Dylan.

G-Money nodded his head, "Yeah, man. Is cool by me. As long as my name ain't getting put down... I'll do whatever."

" _I'm in a great position to set myself up for the next vote. Tonight, it's all about developing trust. Can't go anywhere on Survivor without a little bit of trust. If I get G-Money's trust, then that's one dumb soldier I can use moving forward in the game. You need loyal pawns in Survivor. Fact." - Dylan_

"Perfect. We have the numbers to take him out tonight," replied Dylan, "Once he's gone, we pick off Holli and that druggie next. You cool with that?"

G-Money nodded his head, and high fived Dylan, "Damn right, Turnbull! Let's make it happen, man!"

" _Turnbull's pretty slick, dawg. But man, if he thinks I'll just do whatever he wants... he got another thing coming, I'll tell ya that. I ain't a ride or die kind of guy. Turnbull will be an asset for me. I won't be an asset for him. But for now, I'm just gonna lay back and watch the drama unfold!" - G-Money_

Meanwhile, Holli was standing off to the side, watching Dylan and G-Money have their talk. She wanted to make absolutely sure she wasn't being paranoid for no reason. She needed to confront Dylan.

"Once G-Money's gone, we'll see where Dylan's head is at..." sighed Holli to herself, "God I hope I'm not making a huge mistake..."

A few moments later, G-Money and Dylan shook hands, and G-Money left the oasis moments later. This allowed Holli to begin her plan.

" _I have no idea on how this vote is going to turn out tonight. Nobody's really approached me besides Nicholas and Dustin, so... I feel like my head's on the chopping block. Right now, to calm most of my nerves, I need to make sure Dylan Turnbull isn't the same Turnbull that harassed me online..." - Holli_

Soon, Holli stepped into the waters of the oasis, and turned to face Dylan, "Hey... mind if we have a quick talk, Dylan? I want to ask you a personal question."

Dylan raised an eyebrow, "Of course. What's on your mind, Holli?"

Holli sighed a little bit, "Well... before I came out here, I was harassed online by someone who went by the alias 'TurnbullMSGA'. He called me a newbie, ignorant, and a fake fan of Survivor. Someone who doesn't appreciate the game."

Dylan was completely caught off guard by Holli's words, even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.

" _Wait... who is this woman? Clearly, she knows who I am. Clearly, she's one of the trolls I messaged a few months ago. Is she that... wait! She's got to be that Ugaldr202 person! That was someone who had no respect for the strategy of Survivor, and said that you have to be nice to win... bullshit!" - Dylan_

Still, Dylan played oblivious to Holli's concerns, "Well uhh... I don't know what you're talking about, Holli. I'm sorry to hear that. But I am not that same guy. Why on Earth would you think like that?"

"Well it was very recent," replied Holli, "And I was approached by producers to play this game. Let me ask you this then, did you apply for this season?"

"Well, yeah, of course I did. What of it?" asked Dylan.

Holli stared at him for a few seconds, before shaking her head, "I'm sorry... I think I got carried away there for a minute... this is really embarrassing. I shouldn't think like that on Day 3..."

Dylan chuckled a little bit, "Well... you shouldn't be worried at all, newbie! Nicholas is the target! You should calm down, okay?" After saying that, he walked away from the oasis, deciding to prepare for tribal council.

" _I'm going to keep one eye on Holli from this point on. I have no idea if she's smart enough to figure out who I really am. I don't want her figuring it out, obviously. But let's say that she does. Well... she will cost herself a million dollars. She's going to be so sorry she ever played this game." - Dylan_

After Dylan left, Holli was a little alarmed about something she was called. Newbie. That was one of the names she was called by her harasser. This no doubt was Dylan's slip up, and it caused Holli to panic even more.

"Oh dear... oh dear... Dylan is that guy isn't he?" said Holli to herself, "Dang it... what do I do...? He needs to go tonight. Or something... I don't know!"

" _Dylan called me a newbie before ending our chat today... and that alone confirmed to me that Dylan was the guy who harassed me online. He slipped up, and I caught it! I'm going to use that information tonight, and hopefully turn the Prusol tribe against him. I can't afford to let him stay with me." - Holli_

Hours before tribal council, Holli, Nicholas, and Dustin were having a quick chat inside the shelter.

"I'm voting against Dylan tonight," explained Holli, "He has to go. I don't care if you like him, he's coming after me."

Nicholas and Dustin looked at eachother funny, wondering where this came from, since Holli was very quiet and off on her own.

"But... why? Dylan's so helpful around camp!" asked Nicholas, confused.

Holli sighed a little bit, "I'll explain why when we get to tribal council. But for now... let's just say if Dylan stays, he has power. He's going to be too powerful if he keeps up with the game that he is currently playing."

" _I've gotten to like Holli over the last couple of days. That being said, she's been very quiet. I think it's just the paranoia setting in, and I think it finally hit her hard. She's worried about Dylan taking control of the game... I think? I don't know what she's thinking! I think she's just really paranoid!" - Nicholas_

"But... man... what power does he have if... like... you know... we have numbers? Power is meaningless if you don't have numbers, man... unless you're a tree. Because trees, man... trees are our masters..." asked Dustin, staring off into space.

Holli ignored Dustin, looking over at Nicholas, "Besides, he told me that you're the one going home tonight, Nick. So, I feel like I have to do something to change the tides, and save both of us. And hey, if you don't want to vote Dylan, fine, we'll vote G-Money off instead. That's his boy. I'm sure of it."

Nicholas looked a little alarmed at that, before nodding his head, "Okay then... let's just see what happens tonight..."

Holli nodded her head, and shook hands with Nicholas and Dustin. Dustin was still staring off into space.

" _Tribal council is going to be interesting, tonight. I feel like I have to get Dylan out of this game. If I don't, there's a good chance he's going to come after me! Tonight, either he's going home in a big blindside, or his boy G-Money gets voted off, and he will flip his lid tomorrow morning." - Holli_

– – – – –

The Prusol tribe arrived at tribal council.

"Behind each of you is a torch. I would like you to grab a torch, dip it into the fire, and get some."

Everyone did so.

"This is part of the ritual here at tribal council because in this game, fire represents your life. As long as you have fire, you're still in the game. If your fire is gone... so are you."

Everyone did so, and took a seat on the stools.

"We'll now bring in Sgt. Rex, coming in from the Legaias tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Sgt. Rex walked in with a cocky grin on his face, taking a seat on the jury side, ready to listen to what's going on.

"So the battle for Tribal Warfare begins with a loss for the Prusol tribe, and I'm sure nobody saw it coming. Gregg, what's life been like for the first 3 days of Survivor?" asked Jeff.

G-Money chuckled a little bit.

"First off, Jeff, that ain't my name no more. Prusol calls me G-Money now. Gold Money. It's where it's at now. As for life? Yeah, it's swell... people getting along. Can't say it's eventful." replied G-Money.

"Big Gretch, do you agree with what Gregg, or now G-Money, says? Is camp life just a little too boring right now?" asked Jeff.

Gretch shook her head.

"Heck no! Survivor a slow game. Sure, is boring at first. But gets better later! Big Gretch seen other seasons. Won't be boring for long!" replied Gretch.

"Nicholas, clearly you are the youngest person on this tribe right now. Do you feel like that could cost you the game later down the line?" asked Jeff.

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't think age has anything to do with it. I've heard my name come up for tonight's vote, so I'm just the tiniest bit nervous. I just ask the tribe to... well, give me a chance." replied Nicholas.

G-Money grinned at him, nodding his head.

"Holli, clearly everyone wants to be given a chance. Just because one doesn't fit in, or isn't strong enough, doesn't mean you have to immediately judge them based on first impressions, right?" asked Jeff.

Holli took a deep breath, before replying to Jeff.

"You know, Jeff, I wish what you said was true. Because honestly, I think I know enough about one person to decide that they need to be voted off tonight." replied Holli.

"Who might that be?" asked Jeff.

"Easy. Dylan Turnbull. That's who." replied Holli, pointing over at him.

Dylan put on a surprised face, shaking his head while holding in a chuckle.

"Dylan is not who he claims he is. Over a month ago, I was harassed online in a Survivor forum, being called so many names, and being told that I am a fake fan of Survivor! Earlier today, Dylan confirmed my suspicions when he called me a newbie to my face; something that my harasser. called me!" continued Holli.

Everyone shifted their gazes between Holli and Dylan during this whole thing. Sgt. Rex was the most interested, the grin on his face growing bigger.

"I have no idea what she's talking about. She thinks she can bold face lie right to our faces. Especially considering she hasn't had one conversation with majority of us." said Dylan.

"That's a lie too, Dylan! I have spoken with a lot of people here!" replied Holli, a little aggressively.

"Not with me, you haven't." replied Sherry, shaking her head.

"Or me." noted G-Money, rolling his eyes.

"Who you again?" blinked Gretch, looking in her general direction.

"You were saying, Holli?" chuckled Dylan, grinning now.

Holli started to panic a little bit, shaking her head.

"The point I want to make tonight is that Dylan is not who he says he is! He claims he's a hard working, trustworthy man, but what he really is is a hateful, rude, backstabbing, emotionless man who wants nothing to do with any of you guys." explained Holli.

"And yet, I've spoken with everyone here. What about you?" replied Dylan with a smile on his lips.

Holli sighed to herself, choosing to move onto Plan B.

"Alright... if you guys won't vote for Dylan, then I'll offer an alternative; vote G-Money out. Stop all four guys from working together and dominating this game, and watch as Dylan explodes tomorrow morning when he realizes he's not in full control of this game." explained Holli once more.

Both Dustin and Nicholas looked at one another, surprised that Holli threw them under the bus as being a part of an all guys alliance. G-Money rolled his eyes once more, growing more and more annoyed with Holli.

"Why me? What do you have against me anyway, man?" asked G-Money, feeling a little insulted.

"And why throw me under the bus, man... you know I had your back, man..." asked Dustin, looking over at Holli.

"Sorry, Dustin, but if you don't want that stigma on your back, vote G-Money out tonight. Girls, you know how annoying G-Money is, how cocky he is around camp... now here's your chance to take control of the game!" explained Holli.

At this point, whispering started to take place. Tamara whispered over to Gretch, "Change your vote." Gretch whispered back, "To who?" Tamara whispered the name to her, and finished off with, "Pass the word."

Lots of whispering went back and forth amongst all eight members of the Prusol tribe, figuring out who to vote for, who was loyal, who would do what, and so much more. Sgt. Rex and Jeff just watched in silence and excitement.

Once the whispering died down, Jeff started to ask more questions.

"Okay then... Dustin, take me through your thoughts as best you can right now. What the hell just happened?" asked Jeff.

"No idea man... I don't think I'm in the loop anymore... I feel like... just putting down a name... and seeing where it takes me, man... just like that one time, where I slept on top of a moving van... and I woke up on the side of the highway... fun times, brotha..." replied Dustin.

"Turnbull, clearly you're feeling a lot of heat after what Holli just said about you. Anything you want to say before we vote tonight?" asked Jeff.

Dylan nodded his head.

"Absolutely. I'm... absolutely floored by what Holli thinks about me. I thought we were getting along well... and then she comes out with lies. She can't stop lying, and it sickens me." replied Dylan.

Holli shook her head at Dylan's words.

"And I hate to do this, but if Holli wants to make me look like someone I'm not... then she wouldn't mind me exposing something about her. Does anyone here know who Derek D. Cochrane is?" asked Dylan, looking at his tribe members.

Holli's face froze immediately, covering her mouth. Everyone else shook their heads aside from G-Money, who did in fact nod his head.

"Yeah, man. Seen that name on billboards across Chicago. Ain't he a big entrepreneur or something?" replied G-Money.

"Oh yeah. He's got stock in Kellogg's, Hershey's, Apple... the list goes on! Derek D. Cochrane is Holli's husband! Holli told only me, and me alone. She's a stay at home mom that feeds off her husband's money. Yet, she thinks I'm being fake. Look at her. She doesn't want to talk about her husband's successes!" explained Dylan.

"But I didn't... how did... what?! Yes, that's true, but I didn't tell you that, Dylan!" replied Holli, glaring at him.

"Then how did I know all of that?" smirked Dylan, crossing his arms confidently.

Holli didn't reply after that, completely fed up with his words and his behavior after tonight's events. More whispering took place. It looked like people were settled to vote.

"Alright, let's just get this over with. It's time to vote, Dustin, you're up."

– – –

Dylan's Vote: "I never once thought I'd have to use that information in the game. You sealed your own fate, lady." (Holli)

Holli's Vote: "Dylan's a complete monster... and this tribe is blind to the naked eye. I hope I'm wrong." (G-Money)

Nicholas' Vote: "I'm just... trying to save myself right now. I'm very sorry about this." (?)

Tamara's Vote: "I can't let Prusol get dragged down by this. You gotta go home tonight, boo." (?)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Holli. (She shook her head.)

…

G-Money. One vote Holli, one vote G-Money. (He smirked a little bit.)

…

…

Holli. Two votes Holli, one vote G-Money.

…

…

Holli. Three votes Holli, one vote G-Money. (She sighed to herself, looking down at her feet.)

…

…

Holli. That's four votes Holli. (She started to gather her things, believing her night was over. Dylan smirked to himself.)

…

First person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands, Holli. That's five, that's enough, you need to hand me your torch.

"Good luck with him..." Holli grabbed her things and her torch, and brought it up to Jeff without much trouble.

"Holli, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out her torch.

"Time for you to go."

Holli quickly walked out of tribal council without another word.

"Hopefully that vote solves the drama for future votes in this game. I know you would love to go back to camp right now... but in the game of Tribal Warfare, we're not done yet."

Everyone looked confused, wondering what was going on.

"G-Money, you received the second most votes tonight, being one. You now have the opportunity to mutiny and join the Legaias tribe to get a fresh start if you so wish to."

Everyone looked shocked at the offer, all eyes now falling onto G-Money. He simply smirked, and laughed.

"However, choosing to do so will mark you as a traitor in the game, and you will become very limited in the game of Survivor. However, maybe changing tribes will give you the chance to further yourself in the game! What do you choose to do?"

…

…

…

G-Money shook his head, "Naw, man. Too early for that shit. I'm staying with my boys over here."

"Very well. No mutiny happens tonight, but never say never. Grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Prusol tribe soon left the tribal council area.

Jeff then turned to Sgt. Rex, tossing him a rolled up note, "As for you, Sgt. Rex, because you were chosen to represent Legaias tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I'm sure you know what it is."

Sgt. Rex grinned, nodding his head. He stuffed the note in his pocket, and soon left tribal council himself.

– – – – –

 **Holli's Final Words**

"I guess I made several mistakes tonight, but oh well. I don't really care at this point. They really want to keep Dylan around, that's fine by me. See where it gets them later in the game. He's such a jerk... and he got away with his own lies! Even worse... how the heck does he even know who my husband is?!"

VOTE

G-Money – Holli

Holli – Tamara, Gretch, Dylan, Dustin, Nicholas, G-Money, and Sherry

 _ **Final Thoughts on Holli Cochrane:**_ Oh boy, this is probably going to come off as a big shocker to the audience. I know I promoted Dylan and Holli's rivalry pre season in public, but... honestly... after developing their characters... Holli was just better suited to being the opening to Dylan's story, as opposed to giving Holli her own story arc and character development. It just worked better.

So as a result, a lot of Holli's character got scrapped so that the audience doesn't feel all that bad for her when she does lose the game. While Dylan was a jerk himself, you could tell Holli sank her own game because she was fixated on outting Dylan, to the point of making her own lies to get him and G-Money in trouble. She brought this entirely on herself, and she can't blame anyone but herself.

Like with Stuart's character development last season, I didn't really want most of the season to be focused on Holli and Dylan's rivalry, so I decided to cut Holli early, and let this be the big opener for Dylan Turnbull. Next episode we will find out how Dylan knew about her husband's identity. As for Holli returning... maybe, but take away Dylan, and I think Holli falls flat as a character. Sorry!

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	3. Episode 2 Poisonous Behavior

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _16 survivors were air dropped into the middle of the Australian Highlands, left to fend for themselves. They were separated into two competing tribes; Legaias and Prusol. In this battle of Tribal Warfare, both tribes would be engaged in many activities in an attempt to beat the other tribe._

 _On the Legaias tribe, talk show host Phillip Sanchez revealed his identity to the tribe, hoping to build trust with them. Soon after, Sgt. Rex took leadership of the tribe, annoying Violet and Mattie the most. They were already strategizing and planning to vote him off first. This brought on the annoyance of Isabel, who liked Sgt. Rex and respected his leadership._

 _So hoping to build a bond with him, Isabel told Sgt. Rex about her history in the military, and the two formed an alliance, which also included immigrations officer Simon Freeman. Meanwhile, Violet was already feeling the effects of the wilderness, and Norma tried to help her out of it. However, Norma was later insulted when she learned that Violet threw away her college life for video games._

 _On the Prusol tribe, similar to Sgt. Rex, bodybuilder Tamara took control of the tribe as it's leader. However, very few people were annoyed with Tamara doing so, and respected her greatly. However, the presence of Dylan Turnbull made Holli suspicious in regards to a person from her past. Still the tribe coped and had less drama Day 1._

 _Later, Tamara formed an all girls alliance with Big Gretch and Sherry, seeing them as the two strongest women on the tribe. They also agreed to bring in Turnbull, seeing him as a useful number later in the game. Meanwhile, Holli was growing more and more suspicious about Turnbull, and attempted to get her future told by fortune teller Dustin. However, Dustin was unable to help her._

 _At the immunity challenge, despite having the strong tribe, Prusol crashed and burned towards the end, causing them to lose the first immunity challenge. To begin the theme of Tribal Warfare, someone from Legaias was allowed to sit in on Prusol's tribal council. Sgt. Rex was selected to do so, to the annoyance of some tribe members._

 _Before tribal council, Dylan was informed on the alliance built by Tamara, and was told that the youngest player out here, Nicholas, was to go home, as he was a weak player. Dylan got the numbers they needed by forming a pact with G-Money. Eventually, Holli, worried about Dylan Turnbull and his possible relation to an online bully, wanted to take out Dylan._

 _At tribal council, Holli started to expose Dylan for who he really was; a bully, ignorant, and a backstabber. However, Dylan dismissed her claims, and threw it all back at her, since Holli failed to form relationships with the rest of the tribe. She was then easily voted out in a 7-1 decision after throwing her only friends, Dustin and Nicholas, under the bus._

 _Just before they left, however, another Tribal Warfare twist was thrown out into the open; mutiny. G-Money, having received one vote from Holli, was offered the mutiny option. However, he declined. 15 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Bertie, Isabel, Mattie, Norma, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, Simon, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Dustin, Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, Nicholas, Sherry, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Prusol Day 4

The seven remaining players from the Prusol tribe returned to camp in... mostly awkward silence. However, that being said, the tribe was unified now more than ever.

"Listen, she had to go home," said Tamara, breaking the silence, "It was either that, or keep a lunatic around. We don't play like that."

" _Listen, I don't feel bad at all for voting Holli out ahead of Nicholas. Fact is, you can't be strong if you ain't working together. She can't get it together with Turnbull, so we sacked her ass. Nicholas has one more chance to prove his worth... but let's be real here. Ain't no way that's happening here." - Tamara_

"How did you know all of that information about her, though?" asked Nicholas, looking over at Dylan.

Dylan sighed a little bit, "Well... I've seen billboards, like G-Money said. I instantly recognized his wife's face, and I made the connection myself."

G-Money let out a chortle, but said nothing else, and nobody looked in his direction. He then shook his head, and continued to listen to Dylan and company.

"That really wasn't necessary, Dylan," noted Sherry, "She already had enough reason to go home. You just rubbed salt in the wound."

Dylan shrugged, "Sometimes you can't be too certain in Survivor. I did what I had to do. Believe me, I wouldn't have revealed that information without a good reason."

" _On the forums, trolls like to post stupid shit. Shit like the things Holli said. Shit that doesn't make sense. So... like any other troll out there... I doxxed her, and learned the information myself. Never thought I'd have to use that on a game of Survivor, but the universe works in mysterious ways." - Dylan_

A few minutes later, a small crowd stood around the fire. Tamara, Dustin, Sherry, and Nicholas were discussing the vote.

"I really liked Holli, though," sighed Nicholas, "But after everything that happened... yeah, I needed to make my own move."

Sherry smiled at him, "And kid, that will get you places in this game! Can't play Survivor without tangling with the big boys and girls!"

" _Last night was a tough call, man. I wanted Nicholas outta here, but he earns himself a few more days out here. Holli just didn't make the cut, nor made many friends. At least Nicholas tries to befriend us, and get to know us. Can't help but have a lot of respect for the young teenager, for sure." - Sherry_

"Besides man... she threw my name under the bus... and like... seriously man... that's not cool." noted Dustin, quietly.

"What's not cool is the way she tried to turn everyone against Turnbull. Turnbull has earned my respect as a solid and loyal member of the Prusol tribe," said Tamara, with confidence, "Without Holli bringing us down, we're a much stronger tribe."

Nicholas nodded his head with a smile, "Absolutely! Like... yeah, you're right. Holli wasn't good for the team morale. I just hope we can keep up with Legaias."

" _I know I'm probably still on the chopping block. My goal at this point is to avoid it, and make as many allies as I possibly can. I want to work on people like Dylan Turnbull, or G-Money. People that I can use as buffers to keep attention off of me. Not Dustin though, because Dustin's... weird." - Nicholas_

Meanwhile, far away from camp, Dylan and Gretch were working together to haul back logs of wood. Gretch carried two, while Dylan had one.

"So, tell me, what are your thoughts right now? Game wise, I mean." asked Dylan.

"Haven't thought much. Have big alliance, as you know. No need to think further." replied Gretch, shrugging a little.

Dylan shrugged as well, "Think, huh? Well, that's not too hard..."

" _I'm fairly confident that Big Gretch is a product of cousin breeding. She's as dumb as a rock, she speaks in broken English, and like many dumb rednecks, she's as strong as an ox. Just seems to be a stereotype I noticed over the years. She's perfect to manipulate for my next big move..." - Dylan_

Dylan continued to talk, "Here's the thing... Tamara is going to play this game as it's intended to... Tribal Warfare. Once Little Nick is gone, who do you think is next?"

Gretch raised an eyebrow, "Uhhh... Dustin or G-Money, right? I mean, not in alliance, right?"

Dylan shook his head, "Absolutely not. That's not happening, believe me. Once Little Nick is out of here, who is the next weakest link? A big strong guy like G-Money... or a little skinny old hag like Sherry?"

" _I'm okay with Tamara leading the tribe. Not the type to lead myself. However, the theme of Tribal Warfare... now that's a theme she'll take advantage of. Nicholas is an easy vote off, but if I can convince Big Gretch that she will turn on us and vote Sherry out... then I'm in great shape." - Dylan_

"Huh... you make good point, Turnbull..." said Gretch, softly, "But can't vote Tamara off. Too strong. Need her for challenge!"

Dylan nodded his head, "Exactly! And let us not forget about mental challenges! Do you really think Tamara will look at you as a strong puzzle player? Be honest."

Gretch stopped walking, and halted in front of Dylan, looking at him for a few minutes before shaking her head, "...no. Don't think so."

"She will turn on us, Gretch," explained Dylan, "Either on Sherry, or on you. Our best bet is to make the move now before we're doomed as an alliance. Think about it, okay? It'll be a big move, and Probst has a fetish for them, believe me!"

Gretch nodded her head one more time, staying silent as she and Dylan continued the walk back to camp with the logs.

" _Not sure if Tamara loyal or not. She seem loyal, but everyone seem loyal on Survivor. Even the ones you trust. But trust Turnbull over Tamara? Maybe. Tamara respect Turnbull more than Big Gretch. Maybe respect Sherry more. If so, Big Gretch not happy! She will respect me more!" - Gretch_

– – – – –

Legaias Day 4

It was a slow morning for the Legaias camp. Sgt. Rex was still out from his trip to Prusol's tribal council, so things were definitely peaceful for now.

Sitting around the camp fire were Norma, Violet, and Mattie. They were discussing a few things on their time off from chores.

"Thank God Rex is not here right now... he'd be bitching and moaning about us girls don't do anything... or forcing us to do the heavy shit." muttered Violet.

Norma shook her head, "Four days of knowing the sergeant, I have never seen him order the women around like that."

Violet rolled her eyes, "Just feels like he puts more pressure on me and Mattie above anyone else... like, can't you get Simon or Phillip to do the heavy lifting?"

" _The last few days have been hell for me. The conditions suck, the people minus Mattie suck, and really, I can't do any sort of strategizing with Rex walking around acting like a stupid drill sergeant. People can deny he does, but I see it. He does it ever so subtly. It annoys me, greatly." - Violet_

Mattie sighed, "Well... the important part is that he's not here right now. So like... we should use that time to start playing the game, right?"

Violet nodded her head, "Yeah... we should get started on that." She then looked over at Norma after sighing once more, "Listen, as women, we're going to be picked off from the beginning. It's shitty, but that's how Survivor is. With Isabel giving Rex the verbal cock stroking he needs, we need to team up against them."

Norma raised an eyebrow at her, "...okay then... that was something I didn't need in my head this morning. But... why? Rex and Isabel are our strongest members."

"Does it really matter? Strength only matters if you suck as a tribe. Which we don't," replied Violet, "Here are the facts, Norma, if we don't get a plan together, me or Mattie will be going home first, second, and guess who's third?"

"Definitely not Bertie, that's for sure..." noted Mattie, quietly.

Norma sighed a little bit, thinking to herself.

" _From Day 1, Violet and Mattie have been clicked to the hip, and Violet complains about... everything, really. It gets on my nerves, and it's disheartening as a teacher because... well, if what Violet says is true, then she threw away her whole life for gaming. I don't raise my kids to be like her." - Norma_

"If I agree to this... do you have the numbers?" asked Norma, quietly.

Violet nodded her head, "Sure. We'd just have to work on Bertie and Phillip. Five against three will prove to be their downfall. Obviously, the three girls have the upper hand. You'd be our third to their sixth if we go home."

Mattie nodded her head, "Please think about this, Norma... we can make camp life so much less stressful! Like, you would swear this was a better tribe without Sgt. Rex around!"

"I'll definitely give it some thought..." smiled Norma to herself.

" _I don't want to work with these two. Violet's catty, and a very rude person. Mattie's become her go to girl, and she's definitely poisoned as a result. We need to send Violet home, and Mattie after if she can't be saved from her poisonous behavior. I'll have to find a way to gain Sgt. Rex's trust..." - Norma_

Meanwhile, far away from camp, Isabel and Simon were walking towards treemail, finishing up a discussion they just had while they looked for where Sgt. Rex was.

"Alright... so if you're good on that, then we're good as a team." noted Isabel, shaking Simon's hand firmly.

" _I had a short discussion with Simon this morning. After Rex made the alliance between the three of us, I needed to know if Simon was on the same page. Turns out, he's already been with Rex from Day 1, so I misjudged Rex's ability as a negotiator. But... in war, you're not strong with only three men." - Isabel_

"Now with that out of the way... where did Rex run off to...? I'm surprised he's not back yet..." commented Isabel, quietly, looking around the area for him.

Simon looked around as well. Suddenly he pointed at something when he noticed it. Isabel looked in Simon's direction, and there was Sgt. Rex walking towards them, hands behind his back. He has a massive grin on his face.

"HAH! Freeman! Buchanan! Glad to see you here!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "I just got back from my trek from tribal council! Boy, did you miss out on some drama!"

"What happened? I can't imagine that tribe having so much drama..." noted Isabel, quietly.

Sgt. Rex explained to Isabel and Simon about the whole thing between Dylan and Holli, and how Holli basically voted herself out of the game.

" _Watching Prusol's tribal council made me grin from ear to ear! You gotta love the sounds of drama at night! Especially when the enemy is suffering as a result! We have Prusol right where we want them! Legaias will not fall back from winning! We will continue to win, and decimate Prusol!" - Sgt. Rex_

Sgt. Rex then reached into his pocket, and pulled out the hidden immunity idol clue, "And because I was selected... Jeff gave me this note! Clearly the clue to the hidden immunity idol, no doubt!"

He then opened up the clue and read it aloud with Isabel and Simon looking over his shoulder.

"Now that that's out of the way... let's solidify this alliance with a swear of honor!" grinned Sgt. Rex, turning to face Isabel, "Would you mind saluting for me?"

Isabel raised an eyebrow, but did as he asked, saluting her like a soldier would. Despite not being asked himself, Simon did the same thing, saluting Sgt. Rex.

"Now repeat after me!" ordered Sgt. Rex, "I, insert full name here, will honor the alliance code like a true soldier, and will go down with a fight if asked to!"

"I, Isabel Hannah Buchanan, will honor the alliance code like a true soldier... and will go down with a fight if I'm asked to..." repeated Isabel, rather dully.

" _I trust Isabel and Simon with my life! As they were enlisted in the military for some time before... I can always rely on them! We know our targets; the Prusol tribe, and we know our targets here; Violet and Mattie! Scum of the Legaias tribe will be purged by the Almighty Rex Train! Howahhh!" - Sgt. Rex_

"Welcome aboard, Buchanan," smirked Sgt. Rex, shaking Isabel's hand firmly, "You are promoted to Deputy Isabel Hannah Buchanan. I am honored to have to you on my alliance."

Isabel nodded her head, shaking Sgt. Rex's hand back, "Pleasure's all mine, but... you didn't ask Simon to do the same thing...?"

"Hah! Freeman's already done it! He's a lieutenant! Lieutenant Simon Gordin Freeman! He made the pledge on Day 2 if I remember correctly!" smirked Sgt. Rex.

Simon nodded his head, dropping the salute and holding his arms behind his back.

"Well then... we'll just have to work well together, and build our alliance from here." replied Isabel. Both Sgt. Rex and Simon agreed with her, nodding their heads once more.

" _Rex is a dramatic person, but most drill sergeants are dramatic, so it's nothing I'm not used to. The titles of deputy and lieutenant are... a little over the top, and remind me of a federal agent I've heard stories of... but again, it doesn't bother me. I trust Rex, and I trust Simon above anyone else." - Isabel_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Legaias, getting your first look at the new Prusol tribe; Holli voted out at the first tribal council."

Nobody seemed that surprised to see Holli out first. Most Legaias members nodded their heads, and reacted very little.

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"For today's challenge, five members from each tribe will jump off a cliff into the water. Once all five members have done the unthinkable, you will unhook the floating crate from the bottom of the lake, and you will push the crate down the lake towards the finishing line at the shore. First tribe to do so wins reward."

Jeff revealed a bunch of comfort items.

"The temperatures at night here in Australia can get extremely cold. Win today's challenge, and I can safely guarantee you that you will sleep with ease at night. Blankets, pillows, a hammock, and winter coats that fit each and every one of you. Let's get started."

Legaias

Jumping off in order: Simon, Sgt. Rex, Phillip, Isabel, and Mattie

Prusol

Jumping off in order: Tamara, G-Money, Sherry, Dustin, and Dylan

"Survivors ready? GO!"

Both Simon and Tamara had a running start off the cliff, and leaped off. Tamara rolled up into a cannonball, while Simon dropped laying straight. Both landed in the water, and started to swim towards the crate. Tamara was a better swimmer than Simon, and she was able to make it to the crate first.

G-Money shouted out, "COWABUNGA BROS!" while running off the cliff, doing a spinning flip. He landed with a small applause by his tribe as he started to swim towards the crate. Simon eventually made it to his crate without much trouble at all.

Sgt. Rex was next for his tribe, and like G-Money, he let out a mighty roar as he raced off the cliff, going into a cannonball as he did so. He landed with a big splash. Despite Sgt. Rex making some ground, Prusol had the lead thanks to Tamara, and G-Money made it to the crate.

Sherry was next up, and this was a challenge she had been waiting for. She ran off the cliff, and laid straight as she landed in the water. However, with the fun part out of the way, this was where Prusol started to show some weakness, as Sherry was not the best swimmer in the world. She was definitely slower than Tamara or G-Money, and that gave some ground towards Legaias as Sgt. Rex made it to the crate.

Phillip was next up to jump, and he did it without hesitation. He landed a little lopsidedly into the water, but wasn't hurt that much. He started to gain ground in his swimming compared to Sherry, and that pretty much gave Legaias the momentum they were looking for in this challenge. Eventually, both Sherry and Phillip made it to the crate in time.

Isabel and Dustin were both next up to jump. Isabel didn't wait to do anything, running off the cliff, and getting into a cannonball position to land properly in the water. Dustin walked slowly up to the cliff, looked over the edge, and turned away to face the others on the cliff. He then fell backwards off. Because of Dustin's... odd performance, this slowed Prusol down in the heat of a challenge. Isabel's military trained strength helped her take the lead, and make it to the crate.

Mattie giggled happily, being the last one to jump. She did several small hops as she ran to the edge of the cliff, and gleefully leaped off and into the water below. Dustin was swimming rather slowly, not taking this challenge all too seriously, which annoyed Tamara a little bit. This allowed Mattie to further Legaias' lead over Prusol. Once Mattie arrived, Legaias was cleared to continue towards the shore with their crate.

Simon dove underwater, and flawlessly undid the knots to release their crate from the bottom of the lake. Then the Legaias tribe started to push their crate towards the shore and the finish line. Dustin finally made it to the Prusol crate in the meantime.

Dylan shrugged his shoulders, thinking it was already over for his tribe, diving into the water without much effort or speed. He landed in a cannonball position, and started to swim towards his tribe's crate. For Legaias, Isabel, Sgt. Rex, and Simon were doing most of the leg work, while Phillip and Mattie did their best to help out.

Finally, Dylan made it to his tribe's crate, and Tamara immediately dove underwater to release the crate from the bottom of the lake. However, by this point, the Prusol tribe had already lost the challenge.

With one final bit of effort, the Legaias tribe made it to shore, and carried their crate across the finish line.

"IT'S OVER! LEGAIAS WINS REWARD!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered.

"What a strong performance by the Legaias tribe! You guys are definitely pulling away with the victories this season, and I think it may only be the beginning for you guys. As a result of today's win, you have earned yourselves comfort in the form of pillows, blankets, winter coats for everyone, and a hammock to hang at camp. Enjoy yourselves! Prusol, sadly, got nothing for you. Head on back to camp. See you all for tomorrow's immunity challenge."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 5

The Legaias tribe returned to camp in high spirits, carrying their reward.

"Now that's team work baby!" boomed Sgt. Rex with pride, carrying most of the pillows under his arms.

Phillip nodded his head, "Hell yeah! Show them who's the boss around here!"

" _Today was a great day. Apparently, the Prusol tribe is in total shambles over the last tribal council, according to Sgt. Rex. So like, hey, that's great for us! If that tribe falls apart, we could win the rest of the immunity challenges from here on. I would prefer to not lose, if I'm being honest." - Phillip_

"At least our warmth won't come far... and Violet will stop complaining..." muttered Bertie under his breath, before speaking up, "So who wants to set up the shelter with this here stuff?"

Mattie nodded her head, "I'll help! I want to make the shelter look extra comfy for all eight of us!"

"Oh why the hell not, I'll tag along and help!" smiled Phillip. Mattie squealed happily at Phillip joining in, and both of them followed Bertie towards the shelter to begin setting up the blankets and pillows.

" _Phillip Sanchez is a dreamy man! I'd say one of the handsomest men on television, honestly! He's coming close to becoming the new Justin Bieber, and that man was absolutely dreamy! Justin's middle aged now, and lost his hotness. At least more dreamy celebrities have come after him!" - Mattie_

While that was going on, Sgt. Rex and Norma tied the hammock between two trees. Immediately after it was set up, Sgt. Rex laid down and got comfortable.

"Ahhh, perfect!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "I can lay like this for hours... but there's work to be done! But I suppose we can have a break for just a few minutes."

"Mind if I join you on your break, Rex?" asked Norma, calmly, holding her hands behind her back.

"Ah why the hell not! I don't mind a pretty woman laying with me!" chuckled Sgt. Rex, "I know you're married, so don't take that seriously."

Norma shook her head, climbing into the hammock with Sgt. Rex, relaxing next to him as they shared the hammock, "None taken, Rex!"

" _I decided that this would be the best time to share information with Rex... and hopefully gain his trust. I don't like the way Violet or Mattie are playing this game, and if I can get myself into a solid position with Rex... then I know I'll be safe for votes to come. If I don't... Violet might be correct." - Norma_

"I just wanted to tell you... I have your back," explained Norma, "I may not be in the military... but my husband briefly served in the air force for a year before being discharged..."

Sgt. Rex nodded his head, "Oh no worries, I don't pick my allies based on their military record."

"I figured you didn't... but here's what you need to know; Violet's coming after you," continued Norma, "She wants to get you, Isabel, and Simon presumably all out. She thinks she can get me, Philip, and Bertie on her side."

Sgt. Rex scoffed a little bit, "Tch... what a little schemer... you're not the only one to tell me that. Isabel was also approached by her."

" _Violet wants me out, but for what reason? It makes absolutely no sense to eliminate your leader! In the game of Tribal Warfare, eliminating your leader always ends in failure! Once the leader goes down, the army falls apart, and your enemy wins! The Rex Train won't let that happen!" - Sgt. Rex_

"Listen here, Norma," continued Sgt. Rex, "I trust you, and I want to have your back! You telling me this confirms to me that you are to be trusted! I can't work with untrustworthy people! Especially ones like that Violet!"

Norma nodded her head, smiling at him, "Thank you, sir. You have my word I will vote with your group until tribal council do us part."

Sgt. Rex grinned, and shook Norma's hand firmly, before switching the subject to something else for the remainder of their break.

" _I think I'm in a good spot now. Maybe this is for the better, maybe it's not. I'm a teacher that looks for results. Even if there's a long road ahead, I want results. If we make it through the first vote, then I made the right choice. If we don't... then I made a mistake. But I trust my instincts on this." - Norma_

Meanwhile, inside the shelter, Bertie, Phillip, and Mattie were talking about a few things unrelated to the game. The shelter was outfitted with the blankets and pillows won in the reward.

"Say Phillip?" asked Mattie cheerfully, "What's the weirdest thing you've ever covered on your show before?"

Phillip chuckled a little bit, "Oh boy... that's an easy one for me. It's the one where I had to talk about a mysterious gang leader."

"Oh boy... this can only be good... let's here it." chuckled Bertie, turning to face Phillip to hear his story.

" _The best part about being a talk show host is covering many strange and unique stories. I've seen many in my days as a correspondent under Trevor Noah, and many more as the host of the Late Evening Show. You just never know what you're going to cover until you're handed the script." - Phillip_

"Okay so..." began Phillip, "Ten years ago, in one of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago, there was a big time gang leader known by the name Hunter Greensberg. He has never been seen in person, and ordered many hits on rich guys, enemies, and politicians. He never killed anyone himself, though. He's supposedly a great strategist. He got his trustees to do all the work for him. Many went to prison on his behalf because they liked the work he did for the people of Chicago, even if illegal. He was that respected and trusted by criminals."

"Oh wow... that's kind of scary, isn't it?" frowned Mattie.

Phillip nodded his head, "Oh yeah, absolutely. Chicago isn't the safest place in the world as it was, and these murders were getting out of hand. Luckily for us, though... one of his most trusted friends ratted him out. He told the FBI everything... and when three cops arrived at his hide out... it was ran sacked. Nobody was there, nothing related to him was there... only a single grenade that blew up on the spot."

"Holy shit... what happened after that?" asked Bertie, raising an eyebrow.

"Apparently, the FBI came to the conclusion that Hunter Greensberg never existed, and that the man who ratted him made an excuse for why he and his buddies committed tons of murders. They blamed the grenade on that guy, and filed him with insanity charges." replied Phillip.

"Oh wow... do you think he was telling the truth?" asked Mattie.

Phillip shrugged his shoulders, "Like hell if I know. There's two conclusions to this story. One, Hunter Greensberg never existed. Or two, he truly existed and managed to run from the cops. I can't tell which conclusion is better. Probably the first one."

" _Phillip's story reminded me that... hell, our world is a scary place. If you don't lock up the right people, shit, things get scary for everyone. Dangerous, even. This Hunter Greensberg fellow... or whatever the hell happened, real or not... I wish peace for those who lost friends and family." - Bertie_

"God, I hope not," replied Bertie, "Our world is dangerous anyway. We've won many wars... last thing we need is gang leaders running around murdering our own people."

Phillip nodded his head, "I agree whole heartedly on that, Bertie. I want nothing but peace for our country of America."

" _I always love telling that story, because it's just a friendly reminder that our world has some dangerous fellows running around. People died as a result of this whole mess. If Hunter Greensberg was a real person.. I do wonder where he is now... hopefully dead or rotting in prison." - Phillip_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 5

Far away from camp, G-Money was taking a stroll by himself. With the second loss fresh on his mind, and probably a third around the corner, he was thinking about the next move.

" _At times like this... it's just good to get away and have alone time, y'know what I'm saying? Tamara's upset we losing so much. But like... big deal. We'll lose some. We'll win some. Can't dwell on the past. All you can do is move ahead. Tch, man I already know what I want to do; blindside her." - G-Money_

"Turnbull better be doing what he's supposed to be doing," muttered G-Money to himself, "Or else he gonna get my foot in his ass. He can keep my boot while I'm at it."

G-Money shook his head a little as he turned around to walk back to camp. Eventually, he ran into Nicholas.

"Oh hey G-Money!" smiled Nicholas, calmly waving at him, "I was just out enjoying myself... I was beginning to notice that one of the trees was losing all of it's bark. I wonder why?"

G-Money shrugged his shoulders, "Hell if I know, kid."

" _But then it just dawned on me! Like boom, an explosion heard from around the bend! Nicholas! Little Nicky ain't going nowhere on my watch! The kid's a huge Survivor fan, and it ain't in me to rip that away from him. Especially since... well, I rather not dwell on that. Point is, I like the kid." - G-Money_

"Say, Little Nicky?" smirked G-Money, "What is it that you do again for a living? You model right?"

Nicholas nodded his head, "Yuh huh! Kinda got signed on by my mother's request, actually... but I got used to being a model. And I still am, after leaving high school."

"Right, well... aside from being a pimp... I also model in my spare time," grinned G-Money, "And lemme tell you something, Nicky, I can see you making big bucks!"

"Wait, really? By just being a model? I don't know about that..." noted Nicholas, quietly.

" _After I learned about G-Money being a model, it really did bring the bond between us a little closer, honestly. He knows what I go through as a young model, and I think he has great respect for me. I mean, G-Money's a little... odd, and talks like a punk, but I think he has a warm heart!" - Nicholas_

"Helps when you got the chicks helping you get places!" laughed G-Money, "So tell me this, Nicky... which of the three lovely ladies on our tribe suits you the best?"

Nicholas blinked, "Wait what? Excuse me...? What about you, huh? You really would date someone like Big Gretch?"

G-Money scoffed a little bit, "Lil' dude, she's as thick as it gets. Well, what about the other tribe? That pretty blond girl? She look about your age, dude!"

"I-I don't think I'm ready for a relationship yet, G-Money," chuckled Nicholas, "I don't even know those guys on Legaias!"

G-Money shook his head, and patted Nicholas on the back, "Tch, fair enough Little Nicky... but listen, I got your back. So does Turnbull, I think. At least trust me, 'kay? Don't wanna let your Survivor dreams end now, eh?"

Nicholas sighed with a smile, "Yeah... okay, thank you, G-Money. I'm glad I have you, at least."

" _Yeah, G-Money might be a little perverted and weird, but that's who he is. He isn't fake, he doesn't hide who he is. He's not shining away from his goal of winning Survivor, hence why he named himself 'Gold Money'. He's aiming for the gold, like me! Hopefully this doesn't bite me in the butt." - Nicholas_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Tamara, Dustin, and Sherry were sitting around the camp fire, and talking about things unrelated to the strategy of Survivor. Dustin was chewing on a piece of tree bark.

"Listen, I need you two to get focused again," said Tamara, "Both y'all lost us the challenge today. Can't afford to lose another immunity challenge."

Sherry nodded her head, "I sure am sorry about my poor swimming yesterday. I thought for sure I could keep up with the rest of those Legaias kids."

Dustin didn't say anything, and continued to chew on the bark. Tamara shook her head a little bit.

" _The more I look at Dustin... the more I feel like he's just... existing. He doesn't do anything. He takes long walks away from camp, talks to trees, chews on their bark... and is just overall a non-entity here. He's pretty much becoming Holli 2.0 the way he's acting. I'm ready to send his ass home." - Tamara_

Tamara snapped her fingers in front of Dustin, "Yo, are you even here with us right now?"

Dustin blinked, unfazed, "Yeah man... like, I know what you're saying... but like... does it matter? We win as a team... lose as a team... as long as we stay together, man... I'm happy... happy as the trees..."

Tamara rolled her eyes, "Dude, you realize if we lose another challenge, you're probably going home! You're giving us more and more reasons to keep Nicholas around longer."

Dustin still wasn't fazed by Tamara's threat, "That's not nice of you to say, man... I would never do that to you, you know...? We're supposed to be a team, here, man..."

"God damn it, Dustin," muttered Tamara under her breath, "You know what? Whatever. Continue doing what you're doing. Clearly it's working well for you."

"I will do as I please... and as nature tells me to do... and the spirits will-" replied Dustin, before Tamara interrupted.

"Yeah, shut up please." snapped Tamara, swiftly.

" _I don't know what Tamara's problem is, man... like, she's bossy and bitchy and... it's just horrible on team morale... and like... if I were to do her fortune right now, it wouldn't be pretty. She'd probably get the black fang... I've only seen the black fang on one other person in my entire career, man." - Dustin_

There was some awkward silence for awhile, but then Tamara broke the silence, looking over at Sherry, "So, tell me; the hell is 'Wine Taster' a job, anyway? Do you get paid for drinking wine?"

Sherry giggled a little, "Glad you asked! As a wine taster, my job is to review all types of wine on my blog, and make bets with my girlfriends over what wines will sell the best, and what will sell the least! Never bet on Sherry Brady, trust me! I've only lost one time!"

"And that was your hair you bet away, wasn't it?" chuckled Tamara, looking at Sherry's bald head.

"Sure was!" smiled Sherry, patting her bald head, "You'd never believe it, but I packed beautiful gold locks of hair! They were just starting to turn gray on me, so... yeah, goodbye! I'll stay bald, thank you!"

" _Survivor was a crazy experiment for me to just go out there and have fun! If I win, I win! If I lose, oh well, I'll be coming back home to many friends and family who will always have my back! You can't say that about a lot of people who come out here. Their lives depend on winning Survivor." - Sherry_

Dustin let out a soft yawn before placing the piece of bark in his pocket, "The grapes prefer you keep their juices out of your alcohol, man... how would you like it if the grapes used your blood for their own kind of wine...?

Tamara glared at him, "How would you like it if I rip that afro off your head and make you eat it?"

"You could, but like... wigs have no taste, man... just like sugar... well, at least for me it has no taste..." shrugged Dustin.

Tamara threw her head into her hands and let out a loud groan of anger, but didn't shout in Dustin's direction for the rest of the evening.

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's immunity challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back immunity from you, Legaias."

Isabel did so.

"For today's challenge, you will be eating disgusting food items from across native Australian lands and many other lands. If you finish your meal first, you score a point for your tribe. First tribe to get four points wins immunity, safe from the vote. Losers go to tribal council where the second person will be out of this game. Let's get started."

Legaias had to sit out one person from this immunity challenge, and they selected Mattie.

"Okay! First up, we have Violet for Legaias taking on Dustin from Prusol. Your first meal will be... cow brain! Survivors ready? Eat!"

Violet immediately started to eat it, but Dustin did not. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry Probst man... but like... animals don't deserve to be eaten, man... they're like... our homies. Can't do it for immunity." replied Dustin.

"God damn it Dustin!" groaned Tamara, turning away out of embarrassment.

Violet finished the cow brain without any trouble at all.

"Violet scores the first point for Legaias, thanks to Dustin giving her an easy point! Legaias leads 1-0!"

Violet smiled, and high fived her tribe members one by one, thankful for the easy competition in Dustin. Dustin walked back, not feeling guilty at all, which only pissed Tamara off further.

"Next up, let's have Phillip take on Tamara! The meal you'll be eating... is a pig's snout! Survivors ready? Eat!"

Tamara took the snout and tried to eat it as fast as she could, while Phillip took his time eating it. Tamara swallowed the whole thing within minute, and turned back to point at Dustin, "That's how you do it, you dingus!"

"Tamara finishes first, making a big point! We're tied 1-1!"

Tamara high fived Sherry and Dylan once she returned to the mat, while Dustin ignored her glares. Phillip walked back to his mat, and clapped his hands, not trying to feel down about his loss.

"Okay, next up, let's have Simon take on Big Gretch! Should be a fun round. You'll be eating... live worm grubs! Yes, they really are alive. Survivors ready? Eat!"

Both Simon and Gretch took their time plopping each worm into their mouths. Gretch was more of a slob than Simon was, as Simon took his time, while Gretch tried to eat and swallow as fast as she could.

Similar to Tamara's efforts, Gretch managed to get it done before Simon.

"Big Gretch does it first! Prusol takes the lead in this challenge, 2-1!"

Gretch flexed after eating the worms, and walked back to her mat in cheers. Simon spat out the rest of the worm he didn't finish, and walked back to his mat.

"Alright, let's have Sgt. Rex of Legaias step on up to the plate, taking on Dylan Turnbull for Prusol! You will be eating... balut! It's a fertilized duck egg. Survivors ready? Eat!"

Both Sgt. Rex and Dylan took a bite out of the balut, beginning to take it slow. However, one bite of the balut was all it took for Sgt. Rex. He grinned at the taste of it, and swallowed the rest of the balut whole before Dylan had a chance to react.

"Wow! That's how you do it on Survivor! Sgt. Rex scores for Legaias, and we're tied again 2-2!"

Sgt. Rex let out another loud roar, returning to his mat hugging the rest of his team. Dylan walked back to his mat in a small amount of shock at how fast that ended.

"Alright, time for the old man to show what he's got! Bertie, you'll be going up against G-Money! You will be served... grilled tarantulas! Yes, they are dead, no hijinks from a few seasons ago! Survivors ready? Eat!"

Both Bertie and G-Money broke the tarantula apart as they ate it. Bertie started to choke almost immediately at the taste. G-Money also hated the taste, but pulled through as he ate over half the tarantula. Bertie couldn't keep most of it down, so that was pretty much a lost point on Legaias' part.

"Bertie can't do it, but G-Money can! He scores for Prusol, and they take the lead back 3-2!"

G-Money pounded his chest, and walked back to his mat in pride. Bertie shook his head, but was met with his tribe comforting him.

"Okay, this round could be our last. Nicholas for Prusol can win immunity right here if he can out-eat Norma from Legaias. You will be served... faferu. This is a smelly piece of meat. In this challenge, you will eat with your hands behind your back. Survivors ready? Eat!"

Both Norma and Nicholas bobbed their heads downward to pick up the pieces of faferu meat with their teeth. Both of them hated the smell and the taste of it as they tried to keep it all down. Nicholas wanted to win immunity for his tribe, but the taste was really getting to him, not to mention the horrible stench. Norma closed her eyes, and tried to imagine something else in place of the faferu. It seemed to make it better, but the smell bugged her.

In the end...

…

…

…

…

...it was Norma who finished first.

"Norma does it! Norma scores a point for Legaias, and we're deadlocked 3-3!"

Norma sighed of relief when it was over, happy she got the point before Nicholas could. Nicholas kicked at the ground a little bit, returning to his mat dejected.

"Okay, it's time for the final round. It comes down to Isabel for Legaias, and Sherry for Prusol. Whoever finishes their meal first wins immunity, saves their tribe from the vote. Loser goes to tribal council, with someone going home. This is what you will be eating... or rather, what you will be drinking!"

Jeff pulled out a horrible looking concoction, and poured it into two glasses.

"This is a mixture of everything we've eaten today... plus some two percent white milk to complete the package. First person to drink all of this wins immunity. Survivors ready? Drink!"

Prusol was slightly happy that Sherry was picked for this part, because this is what she does for a living; drinking new and weird things! However, it wasn't that simple, because this wasn't wine, nor alcohol. It was a disgusting milkshake, and Sherry immediately hated the taste of it, and gagged on it. Isabel took it slowly, and pinched her nose as she sipped the milkshake. However, Isabel's slowness was her weakness, as Sherry was getting more down at a faster rate, despite gagging more.

In the end...

…

…

…

…

…

...right at the very end, Sherry gagged hard, and most of what she sipped came back up and into the glass once more. Isabel took one more deep breath, and finished the rest of her milkshake, securing victory.

"IT'S OVER, ISABEL DOES IT! LEGAIAS WINS IMMUNITY!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered.

"Probably our closest match up so first in this season so far, but in the end, three times the charm as Legaias wins once again! Great job guys, no tribal council for you tonight. However, like last time, someone has to be the representative for Legaias to listen in on Prusol's tribal council. It cannot be Sgt. Rex again. Who's it gonna be?"

Another short discussion was met amongst the eight members of Legaias. This time, the decision was more unified, and everyone was happy with it.

"I'll be going tonight, Jeff." smiled Phillip.

"Alright, Phillip will be coming to tribal council tonight. Prusol, got nothing for you again but another date at tribal council. One of you will be going home after 6 days of playing this game. See you all tonight."

– – – – –

Prusol Day 6

With yet another tribal council coming Prusol's way, there was many thoughts on players minds.

And one player just had anger on the mind regarding particular castaway on her tribe.

" _Dustin is just... oh my ever loving God! He just doesn't give a shit. We're here to play a game. We're not here to lazily win challenges, or lose challenges, and just make it to the end. No, he thinks this is some game of beer pong or some shit. Tell you what, he ain't staying tonight, that's for sure." - Tamara_

A few moments later, Tamara, Gretch, Dylan, Sherry, and G-Money were standing around in a circle down by the lake, discussing the vote.

"Dustin's gonna go home. I'm writing his name down, and y'all can't stop me." declared Tamara.

Dylan shook his head, "No, that's a terrible move. Dustin's dumb, but if we vote him out, Nicholas is going to mutiny. Believe me, he'll do it."

" _Tamara has this rage about Dustin that I can completely understand. Nobody wants to work with the midnight toker. That's what Dustin is. He's a toker. He's completely clueless about this game. So we have to manipulate him. I have to manipulate him, rather, to advance myself in the game." - Dylan_

Tamara grumbled a little bit, crossing her arms, "...go on, Turnbull..."

"Nicholas knows he's on the outs. Dustin doesn't," explained Dylan, "Dustin's dumb as a rock. He'll never mutiny on us. He's not even 'all there' in the head anyway. We vote Nicholas out tonight, Dustin the next night. Deal?"

"I mean, that's great logic right there," replied Sherry, "Besides, Nicholas is a fan of the game. He'll know how to play it better than Dustin ever could. Let's sack him tonight."

" _Turnbull came up with the idea to vote out Nicholas instead of Dustin, despite Tamara's anger with him lately. Which makes sense if you really think about it! Nicholas is weaker, knows this game, and might make a big move to take us out later! Dustin won't ever do that in a million years!" - Sherry_

"You cool with this, Tamara?" asked G-Money, looking over at her.

Tamara sighed, "Fine... okay Turnbull, we'll do things your way tonight. Holli was my call last time. Figures you deserve time yourself to make a call or two."

Dylan smiled warmly, shaking Tamara's hand, "Believe me, you're making the right choice. What do you have to lose?"

Tamara chuckled, "Heh, the game I guess? But I trust you, Turnbull. I trust everyone here. Nobody's a snake as far as I see it."

G-Money spoke up, "Hell, if it makes you feel any better, we'll split the votes! Guarantee Dustin gets second most votes!"

" _In order for this plan to work, Dustin needs to have the second most votes. Don't doubt for a minute that Little Nicky will mutiny if he gets the chance. He don't feel safe here, and who can blame him? I'd be worried shitless if my name was coming up for elimination every so often, you know?" - G-Money_

"But who two will do it?" asked Gretch, looking around at the rest of her allies.

Tamara immediately raised her hand, "Me. Dustin was my choice from the beginning, and I'm still writing his name down if given the choice."

"Why the hell not? I'll do it too. Our two votes will go on Dustin. Your three votes go on Nicholas. We're good on that?" asked Sherry.

Dylan, Gretch, and G-Money all nodded their hands, and all five players agreed to do as they promised.

" _I'm making a risky move here, but I think it's worth it. Besides, with all the long trips Dustin makes, he probably found the immunity idol..." (She laughed.) "Dustin finding the immunity idol... what a fucking joke. That's something only a fanfiction could describe as 'real'. C'mon, man." - Tamara_

Of course, it was only the beginning of the end, because the scheming began when the girls left Dylan and G-Money by themselves.

"Y'know, man," said G-Money, "If we were already gonna turn on them? Why make them think we're splitting the votes?"

"Think of it like a distraction from what we're really planning. It's all in the business, G-Money, believe me. I know what I'm doing." smirked Dylan.

" _Sure, we could easily just agree with the Dustin vote, but where's the fun in that? By suggesting we stick to our original deal, it will make Tamara and Sherry believe we want to keep things the same, and not get distracted by another person. It's a big lie, don't get me wrong, but it feels so right." - Dylan_

G-Money held back another chortle, shaking his head as Dylan explained himself.

Dylan shook his head, "Look, it doesn't matter. We're not going to be looked at after tonight. I'm going to make sure all the attention is on Big Gretch. Trust me."

A few minutes later, Nicholas joined in on the conversation.

"Still bro, you haven't quite told us who the hell we voting out tonight? Tamara or Sherry?" asked G-Money, placing his hands on his hips.

"Easy. Sherry. Too easy, I'd say. We need Tamara's strength. When Sherry's no longer here, she'll be at our mercy. She will have the power to control her own off switch. All she has to do is win us immunity over and over and over again." smirked Dylan.

"And Sherry's not really that strong anyway. She said she was... but I'm beginning to think she was overestimating her age." replied Nicholas, softly.

" _Of course, like any other night, I'm nervous about potentially going home. I trust G-Money and Turnbull, but at the same time... can't help but feel my neck's on the chopping block. All I know is that there is a mutiny option. I'd hate to do it, but I would consider taking it if it was offered." - Nicholas_

"I'll handle Big Gretch's vote," replied Dylan, "Either way, our three votes send Sherry home. If she votes for you, Nick, then we'll throw her to the wolves. And trust me, Tamara will be a wolf on rabies after tonight. Dustin better stay clear."

Both G-Money and Nicholas nodded at Dylan's words as he left the area to find Gretch again.

A few moments later, Dylan found Gretch breaking apart some logs with her brute strength.

"Are we still good tonight, Big Gretch?" asked Dylan.

"About what? Split vote plan?" asked Gretch, not looking at him.

"No, I mean our plan to get one up on Tamara," explained Dylan, "Tonight, we'll vote Sherry out. She's not strong. She's only proven she sucks compared to Nick!"

" _Turnbull want Sherry gone. Could be good move. Sherry weighs like a stick, almost. Must be why hair fall out already. Too weak, no hair. Big Gretch too strong, full of hair. However, not sure about making big move. Want to, but nervous. What if wrong move for Big Gretch? Could be my last!" - Gretch_

Dylan continued to talk, a smirk appearing on his lips, "Think of it like this, Big Gretch... if you vote Sherry out tonight... I will allow you to take full credit for it. The jury will respect you for big moves... and so will Probst. Wouldn't you want him to cream his pants when you vote out Sherry, a potentially crafty player?"

"Full credit... for Turnbull's big move? No! I will never take something good away from you, Turnbull!" declared Gretch, turning to face him.

Dylan held his hands up, "No, no, I'm okay with it! Besides, it's only Day 6. Nothing wrong with taking credit for a big move now, right?"

Gretch gritted her teeth a little bit, unsure of what to say back to him.

" _Sherry good friend. But Turnbull also good friend. Somebody won't be happy with Big Gretch after tonight. Perhaps it best to send Sherry home. But then Tamara angry with me like Dustin! All the screaming and yelling she do to him. Do Big Gretch really want that? Don't know yet..." - Gretch_

Meanwhile, alone and far away from camp, Dustin was busy talking to himself... and the trees, of course.

Dustin was also singing a little tune in quite a manly voice, "What is this place, filled with so many wonders? It's casting its spell that I am now under..."

Dustin then stopped in his tracks, turning to face another oak tree; one that has plenty of bark ripped off of it, "Huh? Copyright infringement...? You mind your tongue Mister Oak... I'm aloud to sing whatever I want, man..."

" _Hours before tribal council... and I haven't heard a word. Does... nobody think I deserve to know the vote, man? Cause, like, man... that's bad, man... I'm a part of this team too, man. Tamara hates me... so that means I'm going home. Too bad... I was just getting to know who Mister Oak is." - Dustin_

"You're the one friend I have out here, Mister Oak..." sighed Dustin, hugging the tree as he rubbed his hand along the side of it, "What should I do tonight, man...?"

Silence.

"...okay, if you say so, man... but if I don't come home tomorrow morning... like... tell Mister Redwood that his wife is cheating on her..." warned Dustin as he let go of the oak tree. He then ripped one more piece of bark from it, and walked away.

– – – – –

The Prusol tribe arrived at tribal council.

"We'll now bring in Phillip, coming in from the Legaias tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Phillip walked in with a warm smile on his lips. He took a seat on the jury side, and held his hands together, ready for an exciting evening.

"Three straight losses, and from what I can see, no end in sight so far. Nicholas, what do you think is the issue with the Prusol tribe?" asked Jeff.

"I think just based off of the last six days, we're a total mess. Holli came in guns blazing, and called people out on stuff that wasn't true at all. And now we have several arguments going on between Tamara and Dustin. It's not been pretty at all." replied Nicholas.

Phillip nodded his head, listening carefully.

"Sherry, what's going on between Tamara and Dustin? Clearly it's holding you guys back from winning immunity challenges, right?" asked Jeff.

Sherry nodded her head.

"Absolutely. Tamara's fed up with Dustin's lack of care in the game. He doesn't eat the meat that could have won us immunity. He spends more time messing around then actually helping us." replied Sherry.

"Yeah well... those cows lost their lives to give you their brains, man... that's not cool." grimaced Dustin.

"Shut up, Dustin..." groaned Tamara.

Dustin looked away from the group, staring at something off in the distance, which happened to be nothing important.

"Turnbull, this could be a really big problem for future challenges to come! If this is not settled now, none of you might make the merge! What do you do about it?" asked Jeff.

"That's what we really got to think about, Jeff. Do we sacrifice playing the game to solve yet another conflict, or do we forget about it for now, and make a move? That's the point of the vote tonight." replied Dylan.

Tamara nodded her head, not happy about that, but agreed nonetheless.

"Tamara, I think if I allowed you to, you would have probably strangled Dustin by now. What's your beef with him?" asked Jeff.

"Jeff, Dustin does nothing at camp. He sits on his ass, lays down all day in the shelter, or he goes off on long walks talking to trees! And no, I am not kidding about that!" replied Tamara.

Phillip laughed a little bit, watching Dustin's actions carefully, interested in learning more.

"Hey man... I'm in the middle of a big tree crisis right now... maybe that's more important right now, man..." explained Dustin.

"Yeah, I don't care what your problems are at this point, boy." muttered Tamara, shaking her head.

Dustin shrugged at her words, while Phillip shook his head a little bit at the exchange they shared.

"Big Gretch, how do you vote tonight? Clearly this tribe is losing members fast, so what can you do about that?" asked Jeff.

"Turnbull said it best; that's the decision we make tonight. Vote off annoying gnat Dustin? Or vote off weak link somebody else? Can't say for sure." replied Gretch.

Nicholas looked over in Gretch's direction, growing nervous. Dylan held his breath in agony.

"G-Money, any last words before we vote tonight?" asked Jeff.

G-Money grinned, and shook his head.

"Nah, man, I'm ready to make it shine like gold money up in here, boy! Let's get to the vote!" replied G-Money.

Most of the tribe chuckled a little bit at G-Money's phrase.

"Well said, it's time to vote, Big Gretch, you're up."

– – –

Dustin's Vote: "Mister Oak said so, man... and I always listen to the spirits that be, man..." (?)

Dylan's Vote: "Please... please let this work. I need for this plan to work!" (Sherry)

Gretch's Vote: "This is way Big Gretch want to play. Do not cross Big Gretch again." (?)

Tamara's Vote: "I wish this was the vote that sends you home tonight, but guess we have other plans." (Dustin)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Dustin. (He stared at Jeff for a few minutes, registering what happened.)

…

Dustin. Two votes Dustin.

…

…

Sherry. One vote Sherry, two votes Dustin. (She didn't mind the vote, nodding her head.)

…

…

…

G-Money. One vote G-Money, one vote Sherry, two votes Dustin. (He raised an eyebrow at the stray vote, looking around.)

…

…

Sherry. Tied two votes Sherry, two votes Dustin, one vote G-Money. (She raised an eyebrow, as did Tamara.)

…

…

Sherry. That's three votes Sherry, two votes Dustin, one vote G-Money, one vote left. (Gretch took a deep breath, nodding her head, while Tamara looked incredibly pissed off. Sherry just looked shocked.)

…

…

…

Second person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands, Sherry. That's four, that's enough, you need to hand me your torch.

"Whoa! Holy shit, that's a good blindside, guys! Good going!" said a surprised Sherry as she gathered her things and her torch, bringing it up to Jeff.

"Sherry, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out her torch.

"Time for you to go."

Sherry nodded her head, waving goodbye to the others as she walked out of the tribal council area in high spirits.

"Well, that was a complete turn of events given the discussion we had before we voted. Turns out there's some trust that needs to be established in the Prusol tribe before you can begin winning for once. However, we now move on over to the mutiny decision."

Everyone turned to look in Dustin's direction, who looked completely spaced out, or so they thought.

"Dustin, having received the second most votes tonight, you now have the opportunity to mutiny from the Prusol tribe, and join the Legaias tribe. However, in doing so you will be marked a 'Traitor' in this game. There are many disadvantages and advantages to becoming a Traitor. But you will only find out if you mutiny. So what is your decision?"

Dustin wasn't sure what to think, really. He then looked over in Phillip's direction. Phillip pointed at himself, and then gave a thumbs up. Dustin sighed a little.

…

…

…

…

…

Dustin stood up, "I'm going to do it, man... nobody on this tribe likes me anyway... I need to find new friends... and maybe they're over there on Legaias..."

This decision shocked the entire tribe. Not only were they losing ONE member, but they were losing TWO members!

"What the fuck, Dustin!" yelled Tamara, "I thought we were a team! Why turn your back on us like that?"

"It's not like you cared about me, man... nobody talked to me before we left... so I voted for G-Money, man... had to do what the trees said... they're my spirits, man." shrugged Dustin.

"Then that's YOUR fucking fault, Dustin!" said Tamara, "YOU'RE supposed to talk to US! Not the other way around!"

"Can't believe you turn on us like that, Dustin. You bad man!" glared Gretch.

"Tch... what a disgrace..." sighed G-Money, crossing his arms.

Dylan and Nicholas had nothing to say in regards to Dustin's choice.

"You just lost one million dollars, Dustin. I hope you can live with yourself after tonight! You just stabbed five human beings in the back! Just... just go away. I don't want to look at you or anybody here, quite frankly." grumbled Tamara, standing up to grab her torch.

"Very well. The five remaining members of Prusol can grab their torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Prusol tribe soon left the tribal council area. As they left, Nicholas whispered over to Dylan, "The heck was her problem... she hated Dustin... she should be happy he's gone..."

Jeff then turned to Phillip, tossing him a rolled up note, "As for you, Phillip, because you were chosen to represent Legaias tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I'm sure you know what it is."

Phillip nodded his head, stuffing the note in his pocket as he walked over to greet Dustin, shaking his hand firmly. Dustin smiled, feeling welcomed for the first time since Day 1. Jeff then handed Dustin a light blue buff to replace his purple one.

"There will be a box waiting for you, Dustin, at tree mail. This will explain more about becoming a 'Traitor' in the game of Survivor. You now have a new tribe. Make the most of it, okay? You two can head on home. Good night."

Both Phillip and Dustin nodded, and they left tribal council, with Phillip leading the way home.

– – – – –

 **Sherry's Final Words**

"Woo! They got me good tonight! Turnbull, Big Gretch, G-Money, I hope they made the right call tonight, because oh boy will Tamara wring their necks in the morning tomorrow! Also, Dustin, my man, wake up! Or else I'm seeing you in three days at Ponderosa! Don't let her walk all over you!"

VOTE

Dustin – Tamara and Sherry

G-Money – Dustin

Sherry – Gretch, Dylan, Nicholas, and G-Money

 _ **Final Thoughts on Sherry Brady:**_ Obviously, Sherry was clearly created to be Blanche Hogan 2.0, so clearly you can tell that she was meant to be an early boot this season. Sherry was planned as a character in the early stages of Kermadec Islands, but I had more faith in Blanche being a better character, so I went with Blanche. Honestly, I think everyone reading will agree with me. Maybe...

I didn't really go crazy with the things Sherry did back home like I did with Blanche. I made Sherry more... relatable, I guess. Less crazy, and a little more active physically. However, her old age caught up with her, coupled with hunger and sleepless nights, she wasn't going to show her strength often on Survivor. I also made her less kooky than Blanche. Obviously the kookiness went to another character...

So yeah, being similar to Blanche, I didn't like cutting Sherry this early, but I decided to do it now, get it out of the way, and move on. I think we might see Sherry again... but at this point, it won't be for a long time, because I think people would prefer a return of Blanche before a return of Sherry Brady... but maybe I'm wrong. The final popularity polls at the end of the season will tell me all. :)

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	4. Episode 3 I'm Nobody's Hero

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _After the chaos of the Holli vote, Tamara tried to rally the tribe back on their feet. Without Holli to bring down camp morale, she hoped the chaos would slow down and things would get better. However, with Dylan Turnbull on the tribe, it was nothing but chaotic. Dylan made a convincing plea to Gretch over Tamara's loyalty, saying that she might turn on her and Sherry instead of voting out G-Money._

 _At the Legaias camp, Violet and Mattie continued to fight from the bottom up, making an alliance with Norma, and they planned to bring in Phillip and Bertie. However, Norma did not like, nor trust Violet and Mattie, and planned to rat them out to gain Sgt. Rex's trust. Meanwhile, Isabel and Simon confided in their loyalty to one another, and solidified their pact with Sgt. Rex._

 _At the reward challenge, while the Prusol tribe had a good lead, weak performances by Sherry and Dustin slowed them down, earning Legaias their second win in a row, winning comfort items._

 _Back at Legaias, while Sgt. Rex and Norma set up the newly won hammock, Norma told Sgt. Rex everything Mattie and Violet told her, and warned him about their coupe. Sgt. Rex thanked Norma for the information, and brought her into his alliance with Isabel and Simon. Meanwhile, Phillip told a story about infamous gang boss Hunter Greensberg he did on his talk show._

 _Over at the Prusol tribe, G-Money and Nicholas bonded over being models in two different parts of the world. G-Money also told Nicholas that Dylan was planning something big, and that he was going to be okay at the next tribal council, hoping to earn his trust. Meanwhile, Tamara started to grow more and more annoyed about Dustin's attitude around camp._

 _At the immunity challenge, Dustin's hippie attitude cost his tribe a valuable point in the food eating challenge, and it led to Legaias winning their third challenge in a row, as well as another three days of immunity! Phillip was then selected to listen in on Prusol's tribal council._

 _Before tribal council, Tamara was ready to vote Dustin out. However, Dylan had other plans in mind, fabricating a concern about Nicholas taking the mutiny option after tribal council. So the vote switched back to Nicholas, with votes being thrown onto Dustin so that he is offered it instead, as the alliance believed he wouldn't take it. Behind the scenes, however, Dylan, G-Money, and Nicholas were ready to blindside Tamara and Sherry, and it all depended on Gretch's vote._

 _At tribal council, Gretch sided with Dylan's group, and voted the weaker Sherry out of the game in a 4-2-1 decision. Dustin threw his vote onto G-Money, as nobody told him how to vote, and he was left out in the cold. Dustin received two votes, and was offered the mutiny option. Surprising and angering everyone, he took the offer, and mutinied over to the Legaias tribe. 14 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Bertie, Dustin, Isabel, Mattie, Norma, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, Simon, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, Nicholas, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Prusol Day 7

The Prusol tribe returned in mostly silence after quite the eventful tribal council. Not only were a few people blindsided, but Dustin's mutiny put the tribe in a mood of despair.

Tamara threw his torch towards the tree where they kept them, usually, pissed off, "Well, that's it. We're done. We're totally fucked, and that ain't my fault."

"I don't even give a shit anymore. Y'all wanna lose, we gonna lose now. Pathetic." continued Tamara, crossing her arms and staring into the fire.

" _I'm pissed. Somebody flipped the script and sent Sherry home. Don't know who did it, but I'll say this; whoever did it wants us to lose. Now I'm on the outs, and once I'm gone, there ain't no way this tribe will win again. Without me, the rest of them might as well quit now while they're ahead." - Tamara_

Nicholas gulped a little bit, looking over at Tamara, "Uhm... I know this isn't the best time to say this but... why are you so upset at Dustin mutinying? I thought you'd be happy about it?"

Tamara glared at him, "Because he abandoned us when we needed him. Don't matter if I hated his guts. He was still part of the team. As long as he was on our tribe, he was a team member. Case and point."

"Sounds like you have a fetish for being pissed off all the time, then." chuckled G-Money, a grin on his face.

"Fuck you, G-Money." grumbled Tamara under her breath.

" _I am in total love right now, and I ain't afraid to say it! Tamara was all high and mighty these last six days. She could do whatever she wanted, and that she could do no wrong. Guess what, you human just like us! You ain't perfect! You ain't our lord and savior! You're an angry woman, got it?!" - G-Money_

Tamara threw her hands up in the air, "Okay. So who did it? Who's smart idea was it to vote Sherry out like that? Tell me, I wanna know!"

Gretch spoke up, "Me. I made big move! You respect strong player too much! Sherry weak. You would have voted her out before honoring alliance!"

"Talk about honor!" huffed Tamara, "You, Big Gretch, betrayed us first! So how could you even talk like that, huh?"

Gretch growled, glaring back at her, "Don't mock Big Gretch, or Big Gretch break you! I made a big move. Probst love big move! You too slow to catch up!"

"Uh huh... you a stupid ass, Gretch." chuckled Tamara, amazed at Gretch's response.

" _Gretch is too stupid to come up with a 'big move' like that. Now that I've given it some thought... I know exactly who pulled off this move; G-Money. I mean, really. Who else could have it been? He manipulated Turnbull, Nick, and Gretch. Somehow, Gretch is taking the heat off of him." - Tamara_

Suddenly, Dylan spoke up, "Okay, okay, let's just calm down, everyone. Look, this is what they want! They want us to fight!"

All five members looked over at him, listening to Dylan speak.

"Believe me, I understand your anger, Tamara," explained Dylan, "But like hell you should take your anger out on us. Show that anger and point it at Legaias! We're small, but we are proud Prusolians!"

"Yeah... you got a good point, Dylan," smiled Nicholas, "I'm with him, guys. Let's just stop with the fighting, alright? We need to work together here as a small tribe..."

" _Dylan took a stand for the tribe after Tamara's meltdown, and I fully respect him for it! Honestly, I knew from the beginning that Dylan should have been the leader. Tamara was... always sort of a bully. She used brute force to get what she wants. Dylan uses his mind to get what he wants." - Nicholas_

Tamara sighed, looking over at Dylan, "Whatever, Turnbull. If y'all wanna listen to him, please do. I'm just going to do whatever it takes to win immunity. Cause I know I'm gone if we lose again. Better not flip flop on that, hear me? If I get that mutiny option, I'm leaving this tribe, immediately."

"Aww, look at her, she wants to be back with her hippie boyfriend!" grinned G-Money.

Tamara glared and sucker punched his arm, "Asshole..."

Dylan shook his head, "Hey, I'll be the leader if you want me to. Believe me, I think I can do a good job as the leader."

" _Being the leader is not a bad move in all honesty. Look at it this way, if I'm leading Prusol, what do we have to lose? I know how to run a tribe. I've studied Survivor back and forth, and know what leaders succeed, and what leaders fall. If I play like Andrew, Shohn, or Garrus, I'll be great!" - Dylan_

Both Nicholas and Gretch nodded their heads, agreeing with Dylan's idea to take over leadership for the Prusol tribe over Tamara. Tamara didn't respond, and just walked away.

G-Money chuckled to himself once everyone left to go do chores, looking over at Dylan when his back was turn, "Whadda fucking hypocrite... it's hilarious." He shook his head, and followed Nicholas to fill up the water jug.

– – – – –

Legaias Day 7

After leaving tribal council, Dustin and Phillip were still on the trek home, speaking to one another as they did so.

"Listen, I have your back, okay? I really felt bad for you last night," said Phillip, "The way Tamara treated you rubbed me the wrong way."

"Yeah man... like... I don't know what her problem is. Maybe she just hates my afro...?" wondered Dustin, looking down at his feet as he walked.

Phillip chuckled, "Heh, I like your afro! I think she's just frustrated. But you have a new home, and you're safe! Trust me, I'll throw a good word in for you. You're not in trouble."

" _Going to tribal council, I was not happy with the way Tamara, their supposed leader, was treating Dustin. I have friends like him, and they're not stupid people when you get to know them. I'm not into the stuff, but I see nothing wrong with doing it. So, I'm willing to give Dustin a chance." - Phillip_

Dustin nodded his head, "Alright... thank you Phillip man... but now I gotta find new tree buddies, man... like... I hope Mister Oak understands..."

Phillip chuckled, "And I also love that about you. You're weird, and I embrace weird! Heck, that's what I do for a living, anyway!"

"Hey man... talking to tree is not weird... it's a way of life, buddy... like, embrace yourself with nature." muttered Dustin.

" _Switching tribes was like... not that hard, actually. Nobody talked to me on my old tribe. Phillip, man... he treated me like a real person. Like... someone who actually exists. The only other friend I made was Holli... but, she turned out to be playing me... I hope Phillip's genuine, man." - Dustin_

The two men shook hands, and soon they split up. Phillip made his way back to camp, while Dustin walked over to tree mail to get the box Jeff promised him.

Dustin opened tree mail, and noticed the small box inside, along with a little note on top.

"Uhhh... okay, let's read..." said Dustin to himself, taking off his green sunglasses in order to see the letters better, "Okay uhh... 'You are now classified as a Traitor in the game of Survivor. Becoming a Traitor comes with one big advantage, but many disadvantages that pretty much could tank your game unless you use them properly.'"

" _Tree mail had... like... an interesting message for me. Not only am I called a Traitor for the rest of the game... but like... I get, like, a good advantage, but many bad disadvantages... but like... what's a disadvantage that could really hurt me, man? I'm just here for the experience, man..." - Dustin_

Dustin continued to read, "'Your disadvantages include being no longer allowed to look for hidden immunity idols, or winning individual immunity should you make the merge. If you find a normal idol, you must immediately give it to someone. If you win individual immunity, you must give it away before the next vote. Failing to do either will net you a penalty vote that will stay on you for the rest of your time in the game.' Hey man... that's not cool..."

After reading the note, Dustin noticed a wrapped object in the box as well. He opened it up to reveal... a hidden immunity idol.

"Whoa man... this is an idol right? But... I thought I couldn't have an idol... better read first..." said Dustin, continuing to read, "'This is your only idol in the game. While not a normal idol, this special idol will act like an immunity necklace at any one point in the game. You may not give it to anyone, or use it on anyone but yourself. Use it wisely.'"

" _But then like... I'm still given a free idol... but it's like... an escape rope. Like, if I'm ever in danger, I could use it to buy me three more days of this acid trip... and that's fine by me... really, these things don't bother me, man. Like, I can work with them... but... man, it still like... bothers me, man." - Dustin_

Dustin pocketed the idol in his khakis, and put the box back in tree mail for production to pick back up. He then turned away with a sigh.

"I don't know man... what did I do wrong, man? Nobody even liked me... they should be happy... but like... they were blaming me for something they chose to do, man..." sighed Dustin.

Suddenly, Dustin began to sing a song as he walked towards a tree, once again having a pretty manly voice, "I don't know what's happening to me... I'm getting all the blame for things I didn't do. Can anybody tell me just what I did wrong? I'm all alone and I'm so confused."

Dustin approached the tree, and rubbed his hands over the bark, continuing to sing, "I don't know what everyone wants me to be. I only know just how to be me."

Dustin then suddenly embraced the tree, sighing once more because continuing his song, "Once I was the man of the hour. Now they think I'm a coward. An absolute zero. I'm nobody's hero..."

Dustin then kissed the tree, "I'm nobody's hero... an absolute zero..."

While Dustin was singing his song, he was being watched by a couple of people who decided to see what was going on. It was Mattie and Violet.

" _Violet and I were out for a short walk, when suddenly I heard a manly voice singing... I thought it was Simon at first, considering he has actually sung in his sleep. Now I'll never get the national anthem out of my head... but it wasn't! It was Dustin from the Prusol tribe! He must have mutinied over!" - Mattie_

Mattie's eyes sparkled a little bit, "Like, oh my gosh! Did you hear his voice? He's... not too bad, actually!"

Violet nodded her head, "I've heard better. But you know what this means, Mattie?"

"...Simon will finally get singing lessons?" asked Mattie, smiling brightly.

Violet rolled her eyes, "No! What this means is that we found our opening. Dustin will be a loyal ally... we just have to get him before Rex does."

" _For the last six days, Mattie and I have been trying to find a way out of the bottom. I'm pretty sure Norma isn't on our side. The bitch probably told Rex or Isabel everything. Hopefully Rex is stupid and decides to single Dustin out as the outsider. All the reason for me to pull Dustin onto my side." - Violet_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Phillip, Bertie, Sgt. Rex, and Isabel were talking about their newest tribe member.

"I know he's not a true Legaias member," explained Phillip, "But personally, I trust him far more than Violet or Mattie. Let's keep him until we no longer need him."

"Hmm... it's hard to trust the enemy, son..." said Sgt. Rex, crossing his arms with a stern expression.

" _So one of those heartless Prusol people mutinied and joined our lovely tribe! Guess what! I don't like traitors! Especially those who act like that fool does! Dustin's life will not be long here! But Phillip makes a good point. Violet is coming after my hide, so she has to go first! Not Dustin!" - Sgt. Rex_

"But he could give us good information..." noted Isabel, quietly, "He doesn't look like the brightest bulb in the box... but maybe he will give us good information about the other Prusol tribe members."

"That's what I was thinking," replied Bertie, nodding his head, "Can't hurt to have Dustin tell us all that he knows before we sack him off, right?"

Phillip nodded, "Isabel's right. Violet has to go. Mattie too if necessary. Once we handled that situation, then we can decide what to do with Dustin."

Bertie looked over at Phillip with a confident smile, "Do what you can with the lad, Phil. Get information out of him, do whatever you need to do."

" _I actually like Phillip Sanchez! Sure we may not fall in the same line of ideals, but he's certainly far different from his late night self! Truly, I wouldn't mind working with the young man. I know I'm in a decent spot on this tribe, but being the old man puts me on edge. So I gotta protect myself." - Bertie_

"Alright! Then that's what we'll do! Interrogate Dustin. Get everything he knows. Vote Violet and Mattie out. As long as we're still solid, Dustin is the next to go. Are we clear?" asked Sgt. Rex.

Isabel, Bertie, and Phillip each nodded their heads at Sgt. Rex's words, and agreed to the plan. However, Phillip had more on his mind that he kept to himself.

" _For the last six days, I've been laying low, and just keeping track of my surroundings. Being a superfan, I know how to play this game. I'm not in the best spot right now. Sgt. Rex and Isabel are running the show over here, and that doesn't make me feel comfortable in the slightest." - Phillip_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Legaias, getting your first look at the new Prusol tribe; Sherry voted out at the last tribal council."

Again, nobody was that surprised, as Sherry's poor performances made sense to the Legaias tribe.

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"For today's challenge, three tribe members will be in charge of holding weight. Every few minutes, the two remaining tribe members will be in charge of adding weight to players of their choice. They will be added in 20 pound increments. If you can't hold the weight for much longer and you drop out, you're out of the game. The tribe left standing wins reward."

Jeff revealed a kit full of fishing gear.

"There's only a body of water at each of your camps, but that body of water is full of fish. Win today's challenge, and you will be able to return to a nice meal of fish! But that's only possible if you can catch them in the first place. Let's get started."

Legaias

Holding the weight: Isabel, Sgt. Rex, and Simon

Placing weight: Mattie and Phillip

Prusol

Holding the weight: G-Money, Gretch, and Tamara

Placing weight: Dylan and Nicholas

"Alright, this challenge is now on. Which two players will get the first set of weight bags?"

Mattie and Dylan walked up to add twenty pounds each to Sgt. Rex, Simon, Gretch, and Tamara. All four of them looked incredibly cocky at this point. Isabel waited patiently, while G-Money also took a cocky stance on his pedestal.

…

…

"Time to add some more weight. Who's next?"

Phillip and Nicholas walked up to add twenty more pounds to the same four people; Sgt. Rex, Simon, Gretch, and Tamara. Forty pounds each, all four players seemed to be doing well out of the gate, not struggling in the slightest.

…

…

Three more rounds went by, and so far, no strategies have changed. Simon, Sgt. Rex, Tamara, and Gretch were each at 100 pounds, while Isabel and G-Money were left alone. G-Money didn't even have the pole on his shoulders anymore. He just watched Tamara and Gretch battle it out.

"You boys might as well quit now," grinned Tamara, "Cause I ain't leaving this spot!"

Simon's lip twitched a little bit, while Sgt. Rex guffawed a bit, "HAH! Just try and stop the Almighty Rex Train, lady!"

"Time to add some more weight. Who's getting weight this time?"

Phillip and Nicholas walked up to give out weight. While Phillip gave twenty more pounds to Gretch and Tamara, Nicholas switched his strategy around to give Isabel weight instead of Sgt. Rex, with Simon getting twenty more pounds. Sgt. Rex simply laughed, grinning from ear to ear at the decision.

…

…

Another three rounds passed. Tamara and Gretch were holding strong at one hundred and sixty pounds each, G-Money at zero pounds, Isabel was at eighty pounds, and Sgt. Rex and Simon were each at one hundred and forty pounds each. Neither Gretch or Tamara looked ready to give up yet, while Simon's muscles were beginning to twitch.

"Fight through it Freeman!" snapped Sgt. Rex, raising his voice, "Use what the military trained you to do! SHOW THEM YOUR ALMIGHTY POWER, FREEMAN!"

Simon gritted his teeth, and fought through the pain of holding one hundred and forty pounds on his back.

…

…

However, it was not meant to be. With a curse escaping his lips, Simon dropped the pole behind him.

"Simon's out of the challenge! Legaias is down to only Isabel and Sgt. Rex! They have some tough competition on our hands..."

"Hah! Keep 'em coming, Jeff!" grinned Gretch, "Big Gretch can take the weight. Carried trees heavier than this!"

"This is my job, dude. No way in hell I'm letting some men put me in my place!" laughed Tamara, rolling her head around a little.

"With that said, let's add some weight."

Phillip and Nicholas placed twenty pounds on the same four people once again. G-Money let out a fake yawn, just waiting for his turn, but so far his turn wasn't coming any faster.

…

…

Two rounds later, Tamara and Gretch were now at two hundred and twenty pounds each, while Isabel was at one hundred and forty pounds, and Sgt. Rex was carrying two hundred pounds on his back.

"RAWWRRAHHH!" roared Sgt. Rex, as loud as he could, "I WILL NOT GIVE UP! DIG DEEP, BUCHANAN!"

Isabel was now beginning to struggle like Simon was. Her legs were beginning to wobble a little bit, and it didn't look like she had much left to give.

Tamara rolled her eyes, "Give it up, big man. Big Gretch and I got you beat by ten! I'd be here all day if you want to go toe to toe with me, baby!"

Sgt. Rex growled in pain, "I... I fought for this...! I'm supposed to be strong... I cannot be beaten by a woman...!"

"Get used to it. Women much stronger than men. Don't have muscle like Big Gretch do!" replied Gretch in a cocky manner.

…

…

Suddenly, Isabel dropped out not too long after, dropping the pole behind her.

"Isabel's now out of the challenge. Now it's all on Sgt. Rex's hands to win reward for the Legaias tribe! Let's hand out some more weight. Since Sgt. Rex is the only one left, he will get only twenty pounds from Prusol."

Dylan walked over to place twenty more pounds on Sgt. Rex's pole, while Mattie handed another twenty pounds over to Gretch and Tamara. Both strong women were just now beginning to struggle as the weight began to take it's toll on them for the first time.

…

…

…

...but it was too late for Sgt. Rex, as that extra bit of weight added was enough to break the camel's back. He dropped out of the challenge with a mighty roar.

"And it's over! PRUSOL WINS THEIR FIRST CHALLENGE!"

All of Prusol hugged and cheered.

"An amazing performance by the Prusol tribe! G-Money, you might not have done anything, but turns out this tribe only needed two players to win reward. Big Gretch, Tamara, you two were all-stars today! As a result your tribe has won fishing gear. I hope you catch a lot of fish! Enjoy yourselves! Legaias, sadly, got nothing for you. Head on back to camp. I'll see you all for the next immunity challenge."

– – – – –

Prusol Day 8

The small tribe of Prusol returned to camp in high spirits after winning a great challenge.

"You were amazing today, Tamara!" smiled Nicholas, "I'm proud of you. You too, Big Gretch! This is why we're meant to be underestimated!"

Tamara nodded her head, clearly exhausted, "Yeah... yeah... but... I hope y'all saw that today. Cause that's how I'm gonna play this game. I ain't... about to lose another challenge..."

" _Today's challenge was a perfect test of my strength. Man, it was so much fun putting that fucking military guy in his place. I may be out of the loop here, but I got the strength to make sure I don't step foot in tribal council ever again. If I lose, I'm going home. That's the bottom line for me." - Tamara_

Dylan smiled, "Well, you ladies did a lot of work for us, so we'll take over from here. We'll go fishing, and we'll be the housewives cooking dinner."

"Yeah, yeah, you do that. We need to rest anyway..." replied Tamara, waving the boys off as she and Gretch walked back to their shelter to lay down.

Gretch sighed softly, "Wow... we that great, huh? Who needs boys?"

"That's what I'm saying, girl," replied Tamara, nodding her head, "Lemme tell you something... I know you were covering for someone... that wasn't your move last night. That line was bullshit."

" _I may be on the bottom, but I can't sit back and let it happen. Big Gretch... as much as I believe she's just incapable of strategy... she's my only hope. She and Turnbull both. G-Money is playing everyone. He thinks he's slick, but I know guys like him. City slickers like him are absolute trash." - Tamara_

Tamara continued to talk, "G-Money's hiding something from us. That name... that personality of his... it's all a farce. He called himself 'Gregg' before we got onto the island. Then all of sudden... name change? The fuck's that about, right?"

"...I don't get it. What you mean by that?" asked Gretch, confused as to what Tamara was trying to say.

Tamara rolled her eyes, "Ugh! What I'm trying to say is that he's playing you! He's playing Turnbull, and he's playing Nick! I live in the hood, Gretch, and boys like him are everywhere. They act all stupid, but they really players at heart. I got a feeling G-Money is no different."

" _Tamara start talking about G-Money like he bad person. But he only weirdo. Not bad person. Weirdos not always bad person. Only a small group of weirdos. But G-Money too stupid to pull off big move. Not smart like Big Gretch or Turnbull! Tamara got wrong idea, but that okay. She learns." - Gretch_

"He's got Nick wrapped around his finger," explained Tamara, "If we can get Turnbull back in our graces... we can send G-Money back to the streets of Chicago where his ass belongs!"

Gretch nodded her head, not really saying much, since she really didn't know how to think about this.

Tamara sighed, believing she was getting nowhere with her, "Just do with that however you like, 'kay? I gave you a plan. It's up to you what you do with it, Gretch. Vote me off if you must, but like, keep an eye on G-Money."

"Will do, Tamara." replied Gretch, closing her eyes to begin taking a nap in the shelter.

Meanwhile, the three boys took a walk down to the big lake to begin catching fish.

"You know how to use a fishing spear, Turnbull?" asked Nicholas, watching him put one together.

"Watching old seasons teaches you a lot of things," chuckled Dylan, "Teaches you how to fish... how to lead... how to play the game. Believe me, this is nothing compared to some of the other things I've learned."

G-Money scoffed a little bit, but said nothing, shaking his head a little.

" _I think we've gotten off to a good start since Dylan took over as the leader. We won our first challenge, and it was for reward. Fishing gear, in my opinion, is way better than the comfort items, because this is Survivor; comfort won't come easy out here. At least with fish, we can eat." - Nicholas_

Once Dylan finished putting the spear together, he dove into the water begin his search for some fish. This gave G-Money and Nicholas some time to talk by themselves.

G-Money turned to look at him, "You and I are still cool, right? You ain't gonna ditch me for Turnbull, right?"

Nicholas blinked, looking at him, "What? No... no of course not! That kind of came out of nowhere, G-Money..."

"I know. But I just needed to know, bro. Cause if it comes down to you or him, his ass is mine for the taking." chuckled G-Money.

" _Becoming friends with Nicholas has given me the chance to be something I wasn't able to be 18 years ago... and it's quite remarkable, man. I regret every second of that decision, years after I did it. No son should have to go without having a father in their life. And that's what I did to mine..." - G-Money_

"Well... I trust you, G-Money," smiled Nicholas, "You're kinda like... you're kinda like that weird uncle all the girls don't like seeing at family reunions."

G-Money scoffed a little bit, "Hah! Bro, I get that a lot. Tch, better than being the creepy perverted uncle. Guess I promoted to something better, eh?"

"You're definitely weird, G-Money... but you're not creepy. That much, I can reassure you." smiled Nicholas, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

G-Money nodded his head, giving the younger man a calmer looking smile than his usual cocky grin.

" _This money means a lot to me. If I was the same man I was 18 years ago, I would have slit his throat by now, and sent him home. That ain't me anymore. A kid like him deserves to have an adventure of a lifetime. I'll take Nicholas as far as I can, and then cut the kid loose when it's time." - G-Money_

– – – – –

Legaias Day 8

Hanging out together near one of the few trees in camp, Violet, Mattie, and Dustin were getting to know one another.

"I got to say, Dustin, you're a pretty good singer!" smiled Mattie, "And, like, sorry if you didn't want anyone knowing... but we caught you singing. That's all!"

Dustin shook his head, "Naw... it's okay, man... like, I get it, man... ladies are all about the manly singing. Like, seriously, it's a turn on for many... including the tree behind me." He looked behind him at the tree, smiling at it.

Mattie giggled a little bit, "I wouldn't say it's a turn on for me, but if you looked the part and looked a little younger, you'd be a pretty dreamy guy!"

"Gag me now..." muttered Violet under her breath.

" _Mattie's going to flirt on her time. Right now, that's not the time. Dustin's prime for getting on our side. I could care less what Dustin does. He does drugs, clearly. So what? That doesn't bother me. All I care about is getting his vote before Rex does. God forbid Rex somehow snags his vote..." - Violet_

"Were you a singer before you became a fortune teller?" asked Mattie, curiously.

Dustin shook his head, "Naw, man... well... kinda, man. That was my dream after high school, man... like... going out to concerts and rocking out with my guitar and vocals... but then like... I found a new best friend... and my career path changed."

Dustin then pulled off his green afro, revealing some really matted down, faded blue hair. He then put his afro back on after showing it off, "Got my hair dyed and everything for it, man... but when you find a new passion... the spirits themselves say you should follow it, man..."

"Okay, cool, whatever, you're a stoner," sighed Violet, "Let me cut down to the point; you're the newcomer here, Dustin. We want to be your friend. Rex is the leader of this tribe, and he will never be your friend."

Dustin nodded his head, "Oh yeah... the man that keeps screaming, right? I thought that was just a lion dressed up like an army man..."

"...I think we're going to get along just fine, Dustin." giggled Violet, lightly.

" _Already, I joined the new tribe, and I made... so many new friends, man, it's insane. Nobody but Holli showed me this kindness on the Prusol tribe... and like... it didn't make me happy. All I had were the trees making me happy... and now they're stuck in Prusol hell, while I find new BFFS..." - Dustin_

"Are you friendly with Phillip? Isn't he a nice man?" asked Mattie, to which Dustin nodded his head in agreement, "Great! Because we're going to, like, need him for this next vote! Then it's all on Uncle Bertie!"

"Bertie's going to be the swing vote," explained Violet, "We need to convince him that if he sides with Rex's death squad, he's going to be out. At least with us, he has a shot of going farther than the last old man that played."

Dustin chuckled a little bit, "So you want to fight the ones that fight to keep America safe, huh...? Well... like... keep me in, man... cause like... I've had the police try to run me out of a business too many times on charges of fraud, man... it's time I got some payback."

Mattie giggled a little bit, "They just don't see what greatness a fortune teller has on our world! Fraud my butt!"

" _I really like Dustin! Yeah, sure, he's weird, but like, does that really matter? He's, like, the first fun person that's been out here aside from Violet and Phillip! The rest are either old, mean, or think they're running a military operation." (Rolls her eyes.) "Please, make way for the youngsters!" - Mattie_

Meanwhile, elsewhere away from camp, Sgt. Rex and Phillip were taking a walk by themselves, discussing the last few days of Survivor.

"How are your muscles holding up since the challenge? You should be resting with Simon and Isabel." remarked Phillip, a little worried.

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "It is only a small bruise, Sanchez! You know me, don't you? The Almighty Rex Train can withstand to take more than a few punches!"

" _We may have lost one challenge, but I am not a loser! One loss only fuels my passion to win more! Yes, that's right! I want to win more! MORE!" (Lets out a mighty roar) "HUUUWAHHHHH! YES! The more challenges we win, the stronger we become, and the weaker Prusol gets! Gahahaha!" - Sgt. Rex_

Phillip chuckled a little, "Well, if you say so! If we don't have our strongest player at their best, we may not be able to win immunity!"

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "Now don't talk like that, Sanchez! Immunity will always belong to us! We're a strong tribe of nine as opposed to a weak tribe of five! Anything Prusol can do, we can do ten times better!"

"We just can't afford to get too cocky right now..." replied Phillip, gravely.

" _Sgt. Rex wanted to talk to me this afternoon out of the blue. I'm pretty sure with the added addition of Dustin, I think he wants to make sure he has his soldiers all lined up and ready to go to battle for him. I don't really want to be one of his soldiers, but I'll listen to anything he wants to talk about." - Phillip_

"Anyway... this is what I wanted to talk to you about," said Sgt. Rex, "When you were selected to listen in at Prusol's tribal council, you received a note from Jeff, correct?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. What about it?" asked Phillip, curiously.

"Well... that note just so happens to be a hidden immunity idol clue," declared Sgt. Rex, placing his hands on his hips, "And I think we oughta share our clues with one another! It's a sign of trust, and I would love to have your trust, Sanchez!"

Phillip nodded his head, a little unsure of what to say, "Oh... well, uhh... sure, I guess. I don't really see anything wrong with that." He reached into his pocket to pull out his own immunity idol clue.

" _Eight days into Survivor, and we still haven't had the need to vote any weakling out of the Legaias tribe! As far as I'm concerned, we will never have to worry about that! Legaias will never lose to the Prusol tribe! But... in the event we ever do lose, it's nice to be ready for such an occasion." - Sgt. Rex_

Sgt. Rex pulled out his own clue as well, and they swapped notes for a few minutes to read over the other clue. After awhile, they returned the clues back to one another, putting them away.

"I appreciate you trusting me enough to share such crucial information with me." smiled Phillip.

"You're a valued member of the Legaias tribe, Sanchez!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "Unlike Violet and Mattie, you have been truthful, loyal, respectful, and a hard working man! And unlike Dustin, you will never become a traitor!"

Phillip chuckled a little bit, before shaking Sgt. Rex's hand firmly, "Well, I do the best that I can, Rex. Thanks for putting so much trust in me, man."

" _I guess my game might be working out well for me so far, huh? Sgt. Rex trusts me that much to share a clue to the hidden immunity idol! I'm slowly becoming one of the more powerful players in this tribe, and I don't think anyone realizes it. That... could be a really bad thing, if I'm not careful." - Phillip_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back immunity from you once again, Legaias."

Isabel did so.

"For today's challenge, five tribe members will be tethered together. Working together as a team, you must race through an obstacle course. This course involves jumping over hurdles, crawling through mud pits, and getting over a tall wall. Before the tall wall, there will be a key that will be used to release each tribe member from being tethered together. The first tribe to make it together across the finish lines wins immunity, safe from the vote. Losers go to tribal council where after nine days, someone will be going home. Let's get started."

Prusol obviously had to run this challenge with their only five remaining players; Nicholas, G-Money, Dylan, Tamara, and Gretch. Legaias, meanwhile, decided to go with Isabel, Mattie, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Simon for this challenge.

"Survivors ready? GO!"

All ten competing players in this challenge raced out into the obstacle course like their lives depended on it. Leading the pack for both tribes were Tamara and Sgt. Rex, as expected. Nicholas and Mattie were the slowest ones for each tribe, while everyone else managed to keep up with the rest of the pack.

The first big obstacles in front of them turned out to be the wooden structures made into hurdles. For the Legaias tribe, this was nothing for them. Sgt. Rex, Simon, and Isabel leaped over each one without much hassle. However, Phillip and Mattie were not military trained like they were, and required help from Isabel at certain points.

While Legaias had a small lead over Prusol, Prusol was far from falling behind. Nicholas' weak performance thus far was resolved quickly by the hands of Gretch, who offered to carry Nicholas through the long sections of the challenge. Nicholas agreed, and held his arms tightly around Gretch as Prusol made their way through the hurdles.

As Prusol was half way through the hurdles, Isabel finished helping Mattie over the last hurdle, and soon Legaias was making a break for the upcoming obstacle; the mud crawl. With a mighty roar, Sgt. Rex dove into the mud pit first, followed by the rest of his team. Once again, Phillip and Mattie slowed the tribe down in this section, giving more time for Prusol to catch up.

Prusol had finally made it over the hurdles, and they soon made it to the mud crawl. Nicholas and Dylan went in first, being the skinniest of the five tribe members. After them, G-Money and Tamara crawled under, and soon Gretch followed suit. Despite being able to make it through the mud crawl faster than Legaias, Legaias still had the lead. But Prusol was catching up.

Mattie and Phillip crawled out of the mud pit, and the Legaias tribe ran forward towards the final obstacle; the big wall. Isabel grabbed the key to release each tribe member from being tethered to one another. Then Sgt. Rex and Simon ran forward and held their hands out. Isabel ran up to them, and they gave her a boost up and over the wall. They would then do the same for Phillip.

Meanwhile, Prusol had finally gotten out of the mud pit, and they eventually ran all the way over to the big wall. Dylan freed everyone from being tethered together, and they started on the wall. Nicholas was the first one up and over the wall, thanks to Tamara giving him the boost he needed. He was soon joined by G-Money, who climbed on Tamara's back to get over the wall.

With the finish line in sight, and only three more players to get over the wall on each tribe, it was certainly anyone's game at that point. Sgt. Rex and Simon lifted Mattie up and over the wall, and now it was just down to those two men. Sgt. Rex gave Simon a boost over the wall, so now only he remained. On the Prusol side of things, Tamara gave Dylan a boost up and over the wall, and Gretch came in from behind to help Tamara up and over the wall.

Now it was down to the two biggest players on each tribe to get over the wall; Gretch and Sgt. Rex. Both were big and burly, and only one tribe found it easier than the other to haul one up and over the wall...

…

…

…

...and it was the Prusol tribe. Legaias' other players just did not have the combined strength that Prusol's other players had to help Sgt. Rex over the wall. With Gretch over the wall, the five members of Prusol ran towards the finish line on the other side, winning immunity.

"IT'S OVER! PRUSOL WINS IMMUNITY!"

All of Prusol hugged and cheered.

"You guys might have become a smaller tribe, but damn if you haven't woken up by now, I don't know what's going on! Prusol, nobody will be going home from your tribe tonight, all of you are safe! However, now it's your turn. Someone has to be the representative for Prusol to listen in on Legaias' first tribal council. Who's it gonna be?"

Another short discussion was met amongst the five members of Prusol. One person happily volunteered to be the representative, and nobody argued about it.

"I would like to volunteer for tonight's tribal council, Probst." offered Dylan, raising his hand up.

"Very well, Turnbull will be coming to tribal council tonight. Legaias, sadly, your winning streak has all but come to a crashing halt. Tonight, you will attend your first tribal council, where one of you will be going home after nine days. See you all tonight."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 9

Legaias' first immunity loss was a little demoralizing for the tribe. Nobody was happy about it, but there were a few people that were, and they were the people that were okay with going to tribal council to get rid of certain 'problems'.

Down by the big lake, Sgt. Rex, Isabel, Simon, and Norma were talking about the vote. All but Norma were washing up after the muddy challenge.

"This is such a disgrace to the Tran family name..." grumbled Sgt. Rex, "I never lose! No wars, no battles, nothing!"

"But we lost today. It's okay, Rex... everyone loses at some point in Survivor." reassured Norma.

Isabel nodded her head, "Yeah... besides, it's only two losses in a row. We can always come back after this. Especially after tonight."

" _The challenge was rough on all of us. I thought we had in the bag... but of course, Prusol gained some momentum after Dustin mutinied from their tribe. I have my alliance, however. It consists of myself, Norma, Simon, and Rex. Rex says he can get Phillip to join in, so I think we're good." - Isabel_

"Good thing we all know who's going home tonight!" replied Sgt. Rex, "Violet goes down on the parchment. She goes home. Mattie and Dustin better fall in line tomorrow morning. Got it?"

Both Isabel and Simon nodded their heads in agreement. But Norma was still a little unsure.

"Are you sure about that, Rex?" asked Norma, "I mean, yeah, I don't like Violet's attitude either... but Mattie's far more weaker. She doesn't have the brain power as Violet. I think if we get to a puzzle, Violet will be far more helpful."

" _Rex is dead set on voting Violet out of this game. But I see Mattie as more of a threat. Cute blond girls, like Mattie, always seem to do really well on Survivor. Violet will never do well with that attitude of hers. Mattie will make buddy buddy with everyone, and she will never get voted out." - Norma_

"I mean, that's just an opinion of mine. If you don't think it's a good idea, we'll just stick to voting Violet out tonight." replied Norma.

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "Your opinion is greatly needed, Norma! Don't ever think otherwise! However, your idea will be denied, because Violet needs to get the hell out of here! Mattie can be the next one out! Is that alright?"

Norma nodded her head, a little disappointed, but didn't show it to him, "Oh yeah... absolutely. I just wanted to get a word in, that's all."

"And your word is always appreciated Norma!" grinned Sgt. Rex, winking at her through his dark green shades.

" _In order to win the war, you must win each and every battle! Violet is my first battle in the war of Survivor! She's coming after me with every ounce of energy she's got in that body of hers! Guess what, the Rex Train doesn't stop for stragglers! We'll drop her off at the nearest internet cafe!" - Sgt. Rex_

With that all said and done, all four members of the alliance agreed to vote against Violet. Sgt. Rex then left the group to go share information with Phillip and Bertie about who was going home.

A couple of hours later in the day, Mattie and Phillip were having a talk near tree mail.

"What are you thinking about for tonight's vote?" asked Mattie, "Are you going to do what Rex tells you to do?"

Phillip shook his head, "Hell no! I'm here to play my game, not his!"

"Okay, good!" smiled Mattie, brightly, pulling on Phillip's arm, "Follow me, we're going to make a big move tonight!"

" _Rex trusts me immensely. But guess what, in Survivor, trust is hard to earn. Just because he's a big military officer doesn't mean I have to always trust him. Nor should he always trust me. We are playing the same game, right? This is a game, and I'm not going to sit back and be the comedian." - Phillip_

A few minutes later, Mattie and Phillip joined up with Violet and Dustin far away from camp to discuss the vote.

"Good to see you're on board with us, Phillip," smiled Violet, "That's four votes... now we just need Bertie. Think he'll fall in line with Rex too?"

Phillip shook his head, "I'll work on Bertie personally. He needs to realize Rex won't keep him around forever."

"Good. Once Rex is gone, Isabel, Simon, and Norma will have no leader telling them how to play the game anymore. Then we'll just pick them off one by one by one." smirked Violet, gleefully.

" _This has been the most excited I've been so far in Survivor. The elements of survival get on my nerves.. but this right here? This is why I signed up. I signed up to crush the dreams of arrogant assholes, like Rex. He's playing the wrong game. He belongs on Naked and Afraid." - Violet_

Phillip shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know... I mean, I get you guys hate Rex. But is that really the right move to make? He's not a smart player. You do know who's controlling his thoughts, right?"

Violet raised an eyebrow, but answered the question anyway, "...Isabel and Norma, right?"

Phillip nodded his head, "Exactly. Those two girls are intelligent. They went through years of school to get to where they're at right now. Rex probably never spent a day in college in his entire life."

" _Violet and Mattie absolutely do not like Rex at all. I can understand where they're coming from. Nobody likes being bossed around. Rex makes it easy for people to target him considering he's loud, he's obnoxious, and he makes his presence known. That's what we call a distraction." - Phillip_

"He's got a point, Violet," replied Mattie, "If we keep Rex, that keeps a strong guy around to win challenges... and we get rid of someone who's pulling his strings! Like Isabel, or Norma, or even... well, you know?"

Violet looked over at Mattie, "If we dare even consider that third option, it'd be the same as voting Sgt. Rex out, but we'd be keeping him instead."

"But like... nobody would expect that, man... think about like.. the idols that could just... pop out of the dirt, and fall into their hands... think of the possibilities..." replied Dustin.

"I still think we should vote one of the girls out, but it's your call, girls. What are we going to do?" asked Phillip.

Mattie and Violet looked at one another, and whispered to one another about the right move to make.

" _Oh my God, it's soooo incredibly hard to make decisions like this! Like, okay, I really adore Isabel and Norma! Simon's kinda like the Team Dad, too! Out of all of them, I just want Rex to go! He's so loud, and annoying, and obnoxious, and he's the kind of boy I HATE seeing all the time." - Mattie_

Eventually Violet sighed, and nodded her head, "Very well... then we'll vote off this person instead." She then gave the name to Dustin and Phillip, and the newly formed alliance of four agreed to vote that person out.

Hours before tribal council, Phillip took a stroll down to the big lake, and found Bertie taking a swim by himself. He decided this would be the time to spring the plan on him, and see what he could do.

"Hey Bertie," greeted Phillip, stepping into the water with him, "What are you thinking about tonight?"

Bertie blinked, "Uh. Guess it's just vote Violet out, and then move on, right?"

"That's what Rex's team wants. That's not what the other half of the tribe wants. They want to stand up against him. I think you should too." explained Phillip.

"What's going on now? You kids are too spastic for my liking." chuckled Bertie.

"Think of it like this, Bertie, if Violet goes home tonight, where does that put you? You're not in any form of power right now," continued Phillip, "Rex has his group lined up. In his mind, it's him, Isabel, me, Simon, and Norma. Where are you in that?"

"Hmmm... definitely not in a good spot, that's for sure." replied Bertie, thinking to himself.

" _Being the old man, I know I gotta look out for myself. Sure as hell know that Rex ain't looking out for me. When I become extendable, I'm going home. Age will do that to a man's strength. But at the same time, I don't want blood on my hands, and not sending home Violet could land me in trouble." - Bertie_

Bertie sighed, "Where does this put me if I go with you, Phillip?"

"You, me, and Dustin. Mattie and Violet will be our extendable ones instead of the other way around," smiled Phillip, counting on his fingers, "I want to work with you, Bertie. I trust you the most out of anyone here. People with high reputations like us... well... we gotta stick together."

Bertie chuckled a little, "Heh. I don't think a retired pro golfer holds a candle to a current talk show host, but I like what you're thinking."

Phillip laughed a little himself, "Yeah, I know, but still. I think we should stick together on this first vote... but if you still think Violet needs to go home, I completely understand. Just give it some thought, okay?"

Bertie nodded his head, and shook Phillip's hand firmly before he left the lake to gather his things for the night ahead.

" _Got a tough call tonight. Either I send home Violet like Rex wants. Or I join this new alliance that I hardly even trust. Phillip's a good lad. But Violet and Mattie... they're useless. Girls like them might as well be playing Big Brother. But at the end of the day, I gotta do what's best for Bertie Hall." - Bertie_

On the way to tribal council, there were many vibes in the air. Many people were suspicious of the way things were going down behind the scenes, and some were worried about who was loyal to who. Only the vote tonight could confirm anything about where people stood in the Legaias tribe.

" _The soldiers are lined up. We're prepared to shoot. Violet will go home tonight. But I can't help but sense something's wrong. It can't be this easy. I was told by the sergeant that I have nothing to worry about when I addressed this to him. He's blinded by loyalty. I am not so easily trusting." - Simon_

– – – – –

The Legaias tribe arrived at tribal council.

"For all of you except for Dustin, behind each of you is a torch. I would like you to grab a torch, dip it into the fire, and get some."

Everyone did so.

"This is part of the ritual here at tribal council because in this game, fire represents your life. As long as you have fire, you're still in the game. If your fire is gone... so are you."

Everyone did so, and took a seat on the stools.

"We'll now bring in Turnbull, coming in from the Prusol tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Dylan walked in, flexing his fingers out in front of him as he took his seat on the jury side. He looked absolutely fascinated to be sitting in on Legaias' tribal council.

"So for the first six or seven days of this game, Legaias dominated in nearly every aspect. But then you gained a ninth player, and that's when things started to fall apart. Norma, do you think Dustin contributed to Legaias' latest downfall?" asked Jeff.

Norma shook her head.

"Absolutely not, Dustin's... a little weird... and we really haven't had time to get to know him so far. But I feel like he's done his part when he's needed to help out. I think we were just headed for a loss like most tribes often do." replied Norma.

"Violet, clearly Prusol was in it to win both of these challenges. Especially the reward challenge, as Tamara and Big Gretch wanted to remind all of you that they're here to fight. Are you worried that this might be where they make a tremendous come back?" asked Jeff.

Violet shook her head.

"No. Dustin's given us a lot of information about them. There's some discord in that tribe. I get the sense that Tamara and... G-Money... are hot headed players. Once the game starts to get intense over there, then things will slow down for them." replied Violet.

Dylan shook his head from the jury side, muttering under his breath, "Wrong."

"Dustin, how are you fitting in over here compared to when you were with the Prusol tribe?" asked Jeff.

"Fitting in really well, man... like... Phillip, and Mattie, and Violet... they were like... really sweet and honest towards me... and I really like how they treat me with respect, man. That's like... more then Tamara ever did for me... these people don't know what a horrible monster she is, man..." replied Dustin.

Dylan nodded his head, as did several members of the Legaias tribe. Simon narrowed his eyes a little, looking over at Phillip for a few seconds.

"Phillip, do you think just because Dustin turned on his tribe that he can't be trusted to not do the same for you guys?" asked Jeff.

Phillip shook his head.

"Hell no. Dustin didn't mutiny because he wanted Prusol to fail. He mutinied because he was mistreated by presumably their leader. If he didn't get out of there, he probably wasn't going to stay much longer. So in terms of the game, he went where he would be safe. I'd do the same thing with my back against the wall." replied Phillip.

"Sgt. Rex, what do you think this tribe needs to do in order to stay away from tribal council? As the leader, you must have some idea on how to accomplish that, right?" asked Jeff.

Sgt. Rex chortled at that statement.

"Hah! You got that right! Listen, we need a strong, loyal, honest tribe. From Day 1, there's been some schemers sneaking around trying to make me look bad! The nerve! I've done nothing but be the best damn leader I could be! That's why someone's going home tonight!" replied Sgt. Rex.

Violet and Mattie both rolled their eyes at him.

"Isabel, do you know who Sgt. Rex is talking about?" asked Jeff.

Isabel nodded her head softly.

"Yes... most of us do, Jeff. Tonight's an easy vote." replied Isabel.

Violet giggled lightly, making a snarky face over at Mattie at Isabel's words. Bertie sighed a little bit.

"Okay, it's time to vote, Bertie, you're up."

– – –

Bertie's Vote: "This could be a big mistake, but damn if I'm not convinced it's the right one." (?)

Sgt. Rex's Vote: "Come after the Rex Train, you'll get burned big time, lady! Get your life together!" (Violet)

Violet's Vote: "Rex's time will come shortly. Especially once you're not able to baby him anymore." (?)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Violet. (She nodded her head, rolling her eyes.)

…

Violet. Two votes Violet.

…

…

Violet. That's three votes Violet.

…

…

Violet. That's four votes Violet. (She scoffed a little bit, crossing her arms, staying focused on the votes.)

…

…

…

Simon. One vote Simon, four votes Violet. (Simon raised an eyebrow, arms crossed.)

…

Simon. Two votes Simon, four votes Violet.

…

…

Simon. Three votes Simon, four votes Violet. (Simon looked over at Phillip once more, eyebrow still raised.)

…

…

Simon. We're tied, four votes Simon, four votes Violet, one vote left. (Sgt. Rex's jaw dropped at the fourth vote. Simon nodded his head, losing his eyebrow raise, still frowning in anger.)

Third person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands...

…

…

…

…

…

…

...Simon. That's five, that's enough, you need to hand me your torch.

Simon nodded his head, gathering his things, shaking Sgt. Rex's hand firmly, and brought his torch over to Jeff without much to say, as usual. Sgt. Rex was just in shock, while Isabel and Norma looked at one another in worry. Violet and Mattie looked incredibly giddy about the whole thing.

"Simon, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out his torch.

"Time for you to go."

"Do not trust Phillip. He screwed this tribe." said Simon with a stern tone in his deep voice, before leaving tribal council. Sgt. Rex then looked over at Phillip in shock, who shook his head at Simon's words.

"Now that's what I call a good blindside. Despite winning three challenges in a row, you still decide to vote out one of your strongest players. We'll see where that gets you in the next few days. However, we now move on over to the mutiny decision."

Everyone nodded their heads, already made aware of this twist because of Sgt. Rex and Phillip's visits.

"Violet, having received the second most votes tonight, you now have the opportunity to mutiny from the Legaias tribe, and join the Prusol tribe. However, in doing so you will be marked a 'Traitor' in this game. There are many disadvantages and advantages to becoming a Traitor. But you will only find out if you mutiny. So what is your decision?"

Violet nodded her head at the decision given to her, before letting out a mischievous little giggle.

…

…

…

"A few days ago, I would have said yes," said Violet, "But after tonight's vote? I think I'm going to stay right here now."

"Very well. No mutiny happens tonight, but never say never. Grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Legaias tribe soon left the tribal council area.

Jeff then turned to Dylan, tossing him a rolled up note, "As for you, Turnbull, because you were chosen to represent Prusol tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I'm sure you know what it is."

"Thank you, Probst. That's exactly what I wanted when I volunteered. See you later." smiled Dylan as he stuffed the note in his pocket, and left the tribal council area with a smirk on his face.

– – – – –

 **Simon's Final Words**

"I knew the minute Rex wanted to share his immunity idol clue with Phillip, that's when we messed up. Information is extremely valuable. Giving it away to gain trust is never the best option. Staying quiet for my nine days out here was not the best strategy out here... but a good husband listens to his wife."

VOTE

Simon – Bertie, Mattie, Dustin, Phillip, and Violet

Violet – Norma, Isabel, Simon, and Sgt. Rex

 _ **Final Thoughts on Simon Freeman:**_ I'm sure you're wondering about why I chose to put Simon on this season instead of Craig or Raymond; the two men I cut from the final list. Especially after the edit I gave him. Well... Simon was meant to be a quitter this season. But more so in the sense of a 'Deitz quit', where his newborn son begins having complications with his health, and he is forced to leave.

I always wanted to do a Terry Deitz styled quit because it's so rare, and it tells a good story. But coupled with the way I wanted to do Simon's character as a 'silent character', I didn't think the audience would feel sorry for him when he has to leave. Of course, I guess it depends on the character. Rayman in Dingo Canyon got little screen time, yet his exit left my readers sad. So... who knows with Simon.

So instead I scrapped the idea for him quitting the game, and instead decided to have him be the first boot of the Legaias tribe. The reasons why he was chosen over Norma and Isabel will be revealed in the next episode. Either way, Simon, like Stuart Gomez, was sort of a failed experiment in my eyes. And I sort of wish I threw on Craig instead. Also.. chances of seeing him again? What chances?

Sorry for the lack of episode yesterday. I got extremely busy late in the afternoon when I was supposed to finish up. But I was able to make a push early this morning, and boom, here we are!

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	5. Episode 4 Ancient Bird People

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _Tamara was beyond livid over her alliance's betrayal, as Sherry was just voted out of the game. She took most of her anger out on Gretch and G-Money. Seeing an opportunity to take further control over his tribe, Dylan took command as the new leader of the Prusol tribe, leaving Tamara completely on the oust._

 _After making a big move to mutiny over to the Legaias tribe, Dustin soon realized the potential what he had done. Having been branded a 'Traitor', Dustin was stacked with a ton of disadvantages, with only one single advantage; a free special immunity idol to protect him from one single vote, and only one vote. However, Dustin found himself few friends, and only Phillip and Violet saw an opportunity to take control of the game._

 _At the reward challenge, while Sgt. Rex tried his best to win fishing gear for his tribe, he failed massively against Tamara and Gretch, losing the first challenge for Legaias, and giving Prusol their very first win of the season._

 _Back at the Prusol camp, while Tamara and Gretch relaxed their muscles after the rather difficult reward challenge, Tamara tried to save herself by attempting to turn Gretch against G-Money. Tamara suspected G-Money of being the one controlling the tribe and making the move to betray Sherry. However, Gretch was not buying any of it. Meanwhile, G-Money and Nicholas made yet another vow to stick together._

 _At the Legaias camp, Violet and Mattie made their move to pull Dustin into their alliance. Violet saw Dustin as a valuable number that could get her from the bottom onto the top. Her target was Sgt. Rex, and his team of Norma, Simon, and Isabel. All they would need were the votes of Phillip and Bertie. Meanwhile, Sgt. Rex asked Phillip about the hidden immunity idol clue he picked up at the last tribal council, and soon the two shared their clues with one another. However, Phillip did this to gain trust with Sgt. Rex._

 _At the immunity challenge, Prusol continued their winning streak, using their combined strength and power to win immunity over the Legaias tribe._

 _Before tribal council, the alliance of Sgt. Rex, Isabel, Simon, and Norma had to make a choice between Violet, Mattie, and Dustin. While Norma wanted Mattie out for strategic reasons, Sgt. Rex desperately wanted Violet out of the game for her poor attitude, and that was the final decision. On the flip side, the newly formed alliance of Phillip, Violet, Mattie, and Dustin were stuck between many options to vote out. Phillip wanted to keep Rex in the game, seeing him as valuable to the tribe. After making a choice, Phillip tried to get Bertie to join them, making an alliance with him in the process._

 _At tribal council, Bertie joined the new alliance formed by Violet, and their votes were enough to send the silent, yet stern Simon Freeman out of the game in a 5-4 decision. Before leaving, Simon outed Phillip as the one who betrayed the group. 13 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Bertie, Dustin, Isabel, Mattie, Norma, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, Nicholas, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Legaias Day 10

After quite the eye-opening tribal council, the eight remaining members of Legaias walked into camp, and were noticeably quiet. Not even Sgt. Rex was yelling at anybody.

However, he was the first one who spoke once they reached camp, "Whoa! Now that's what I signed up for! Boy, Sanchez!" Sgt. Rex grinned, walking over to Phillip, and patting him on the back, "That's what they call a blindside!"

Phillip chuckled a little bit, a little caught off guard by the fact that Sgt. Rex wasn't screaming at him, "What can I say? I'm just playing a game, man."

" _Simon was voted out last night! That clearly means my power has been usurped! And you know what I say to that?" (He roars out loud, angrily) "RRGGHOAAARRR!" (He then clears his throat) "But! I can't show my anger! That's a sign of weakness! I need to be tough, and have confidence!" - Sgt. Rex_

"But why Simon of all people?" asked Isabel, softly, "He was one of our strongest members..."

Violet sighed, annoyed, "Because, if you want me to be straight up with you, he was your alliance's rock. All four of you were the outsiders because you wanted to listen to that lunatic." She pointed at Sgt. Rex, who shook his head at her comment.

"I may be a lunatic, but I was the one leading our tribe to victory!" grumbled Sgt. Rex, crossing his arms.

"And yet despite all of that, we lost the last two challenges. What? Lost your ego because you lost to two strong women?" smirked Violet, referring to when Sgt. Rex lost to Tamara and Gretch at the last reward challenge.

" _Sgt. Rex is clearly out to get me and Mattie out of this game. Hell, fucking Simon decided to give all of the credit to Phillip of all people. Seriously? Yeah, sure, give Phillip the credit for my hard work. God, it just feels like they can't handle a smart, intelligent woman like me running the show." - Violet_

"Ooooh! Sick burn, Violet!" giggled Mattie, giving her a high five. As the commotion continued, Phillip snuck off into the forest by himself.

Violet chuckled a little bit, looking over at Sgt. Rex, "Listen, I have the power right now. God it feels great... after being on the bottom for the last nine days, I finally feel at ease with myself."

"But why do you have to rub it in our faces like that?" asked Norma, crossing her arms with a stern tone, "We're just playing a game, Violet..."

"Uhh, yeah, duh, of course we are," replied Violet, "I play games for a life, you know? Whenever I win, I always rub it in the faces of those who taunted me, just like Sgt. Rex has towards Mattie and myself."

"I don't think he taunted you, per se..." sighed Isabel, quietly.

" _I think Violet and Mattie have gotten the wrong idea about Rex. Yeah, Rex is a little tough on them, but he's tough on everybody. Those two wouldn't have survived in the military... they're only thriving in this game because they outwitted us. But... I'm not giving up. It's not in my nature to." - Isabel_

"Yeah, stop being his apologist, Isabel. He only respects you because you're a strong woman," muttered Violet, "Whatever, I'm done here." With that said, she and Mattie left the area, and crawled into the shelter to lie down.

Bertie, who was eating some rice and pretty much ignoring the whole conversation, sighed to himself, "The young ones never learn..."

" _I made my bed, and I will lie in it. But I do not like the way Violet or Mattie present themselves. Violet's a brat, and treats everyone else like garbage. Mattie's a sweet young girl poisoned by her way of thinking. I believe without Violet around, Mattie might be better off in this game, honestly." - Bertie_

Meanwhile, out in the middle of the forest, Phillip was out by himself, re-reading the clue he gained a few tribal councils ago.

"Follow the trail behind tree mail.. and dig between two trees that mark the spot." read Phillip to himself, quietly. He then nodded his head, "Alright, now's the time. I need to go grab that idol!"

" _Being a celebrity, especially one who's going to be called out for making bold moves just like the one last night, I'm going to need some power. Who knows if what Simon did stirred the pot at all, but just in case it did... I need to find the hidden immunity idol. That idol does some amazing things." - Phillip_

Stuffing the clue back in his pocket, Phillip raced out behind tree mail, and started his hunt for the immunity idol. He specifically looked for trees that looked very similar to one another.

"Damn... can't find a single forked tree. That's the most obvious hint...!" muttered Phillip to himself, digging through dirt, and looking through bushes as he searched.

Phillip continued his long, straining search, hoping not to waste too much time out in the forest. The longer he was gone after the whole thing between Sgt. Rex and Violet ends, the more people would get suspicious of him.

In the end...

…

…

…

...Phillip finally managed to find two trees that looked nearly identical. Having a smile to himself, Phillip stood between both trees, and started to dig in the middle.

Within time, Phillip managed to dig up a wrapped up object, his hands shaking with excitement as he unwrapped it, revealing the hidden immunity idol, "Oh my God... I did it! I actually did it...! Yes!"

" _I did it! I accomplished one of my many goals in the game of Survivor; finding the hidden immunity idol! Nobody's going to know about this. Not yet at least... I need to keep building trust. Dustin... Bertie... even Violet, maybe. It's still too early to decide who I can trust, and who I can't." - Phillip_

Phillip soon filled in the hole that he dug up, stomping over it to make sure nobody would find it suspicious, whispering to himself, "Okay... head back to camp, and go straight to bed. If anyone asks... long confessional." With that said, he rushed back to camp.

– – – – –

Prusol Day 10

It was another fine day at the Prusol camp. Dylan and Tamara were out filling the water jug, while Gretch, G-Money, and Nicholas were tending to the fire and eating rice before the upcoming challenge.

"Can't believe it's already Day 10, man," said Tamara, "You'd think it's been twenty days since we started. Time passes so slow when you're out here."

"Couldn't agree more. Actually, I like it better this way. Gives me more time to soak it in. That I'm really here, playing the game." agreed Dylan with a smile.

" _I know I'm on the bottom, but I ain't about to give up just yet. Yesterday, I had a talk with Big Gretch, trying to get people against G-Money. That fool's running the show, and it's sickening to watch. Turnbull, Nick... even Gretch. They're all blinded by him. But I see that boy. I see him." - Tamara_

Once they reached the water well, Dylan lowered the bucket down to gather some water to pour into their jug. During this time, Tamara spoke to him about the game.

"What are your thoughts on G-Money, man? Cause the way I see it... he's the one calling the shots around here." asked Tamara, crossing her arms.

Dylan held in a laugh as he nodded his head at her words, "Is that so, huh? What makes you so sure that it's him?"

"I live in the hood, Turnbull," explained Tamara, "And everywhere I go, I run into boys like him. They think they're sharp, but they just part of the problem with the hood. G-Money reminds me of one of them guys. They always know how to get away from the police."

" _Tamara... she's just the inspiring, remarkable person of intelligence, isn't she? She thinks G-Money is behind Sherry's blindside? G-Money?" (He chuckles a bit.) "Sorry, but G-Money couldn't strategize to save his life. As Tamara can't clearly see, I make the best deals. But I'll play along with her." - Dylan_

"Oohh... man, Tamara, I think you're onto something there," replied Dylan, pulling the bucket up from the well, beginning to fill the water jug with water, "Can I just say, I've been already looking at G-Money as a potential next vote. I just don't think he's worthy of keeping around. Believe me, I know what you mean."

Tamara smirked a little bit, "Ahhh but Turnbull, you voted with the asshole at the last tribal council! You can't tell me that, and play that shit with me, boy!"

"Sometimes Tamara, you got to make high risks in this game. Sherry had it coming for a long time. It was either now, or never. That vote showed me what kind of player G-Money is." explained Dylan.

" _Turns out, Turnbull's already looking at G-Money as a potential target. Dang, and I thought this would be impossible! I thought my ass was cooked the second Sherry was voted out. But I guess patience was all I needed. If Turnbull gets Big Gretch... think I'm guaranteed one more vote." - Tamara_

"Whatever, man," replied Tamara, "If you're ready to vote his ass out, I'm game for it. You just gotta get Big Gretch on board. You know Nicholas is going to stick by his boy. I mean, that's fine, because Nicholas is next after him anyways."

Dylan nodded his head, "It's all going to depend on her. Otherwise, I think you're going home, hate to say it."

"Then we better both get to work then." smirked Tamara, extending her hand out to shake, which Dylan eagerly accepted.

" _Nobody in Survivor history is going to be a better deal maker than me. I'm going to be the biggest bullshitter. I'm going to be the biggest liar. And they're going to love it by the end of the season. Tamara's playing right into my hands. Will she get what she wants? Hah! Hardly!" - Dylan_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Gretch, G-Money, and Nicholas were talking about life outside of the game.

"So you're just a lumberjack, right?" asked Nicholas, "Is that... all there is? Chopping down trees? Or is there more to it?"

Gretch shook her head, "No. Big Gretch part of big business. Big Ash & Big Gretch Lumber Company. Run it with partner, Big Ash."

"You run a business? Tell me I'm hallucinating on something Dustin left behind, man." chuckled G-Money.

"Big Ash idea. Went to college for business learning," explained Gretch, "But she also strong woman. But me stronger. Can lift her over head. Can't lift me over hers."

" _I think the one person I felt like I had the least amount of chemistry with was Big Gretch. She's super strong, super big... and I'm skinny, and the smallest guy out here. But after learning about her rather short life story and what she does... I guess we have more in common than one thinks!" - Nicholas_

"At least you two had to work hard at getting far in the world," smiled Nicholas, "I only got through high school because of my good looks. Amazing the things that will come when you're a handsome boy. I only liked it for about... the first half of high school."

G-Money looked over at him, "Why didn't you like that, man? I would be in heaven with all the side chick potential!"

Nicholas shook his head, "It wasn't that, but it was just... I felt like I didn't have to do anything. I made friends, got good grades, and got into a really good modeling school... just because I was handsome."

"But it help you out in life," remarked Gretch, "In many way, you lucky with good looks. Many aren't. Like Big Gretch. Big Gretch not handsome."

" _Little Nick is a good boy. He not strong, but he have big heart. Big Gretch see that as good enough. If Little Nick have big heart, then Prusol have big morale. Prusol need much morale after stupid green hair man abandon tribe. Hope he gone from other tribe. Deserve to lose after mutiny." - Gretch_

"But you know what... I think despite all the problems we may have as a tribe... we're a great bunch," smiled Nicholas, "Sure, we're an odd bunch. We have two models, a lumberjack, a business consultant, and a bodybuilder! I think that's as odd as you can get, but we're a good group!"

"If only Tamara could stop playing the bitch card, man... then maybe, just maybe... we would be that 'great bunch' you wanna call us." remarked G-Money, crossing his arms.

"I think Tamara has lightened up since Sherry's boot. I mean, I would still vote her out next, if we lose an immunity challenge, but I think she's not all that bad." replied Nicholas, with a smile.

" _In this world, I think everyone is capable of being a good person. Tamara can be mean... but I know she's not mean spirited. She's just frustrated. I know G-Money's a little... perverted, but our talks have been so nice and friendly. I can't say anything bad about anybody. It's not in my nature." - Nicholas_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Prusol, getting your first look at the new Legaias tribe; Simon voted out at the last tribal council."

The players at Prusol were quite surprised to see Simon gone from the game, given how strong he was. Tamara merely laughed, and smirked, "Stupid move."

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"For today's challenge, it's a very simple slide puzzle. Four tribe members will be in charge of solving a 12 piece, giant slide puzzle. You are trying to assemble the logo to this season of Survivor. The first tribe to finish wins reward."

Jeff pulled the covers off of the reward behind him, revealing a cage containing three hens and one rooster. The rooster was noticeably calm.

"Let's be fair here, this is a big reward for such an easy challenge. But it's only Day 11, and I believe everyone needs to catch up on their protein. So, if you win today's challenge, you will earn three egg-laying hens and one rooster. Let's get started."

Doing the challenge for Prusol were Dylan, G-Money, Tamara, and Nicholas. Doing the challenge for Legaias were Bertie, Norma, Violet, and Phillip.

"Survivors ready? GO!"

Both tribes raced out onto their separate puzzle boards, and began to assemble the puzzle together as a team. Leading the charge for Prusol was Dylan, while Violet and Norma took charge for Legaias.

Over at Prusol, they clearly had the weaker team mentally. Dylan was their best bet, and he was doing his best to see the solution for this puzzle. While Tamara and Nicholas were doing their best to help, G-Money was taking the challenge all in stride; something that annoyed only Tamara.

"G-Money! Get focused! Don't you want chicken?" asked Tamara, frustrated.

"He's doing the best he can, relax." soothed Dylan, before getting his mind back on the challenge.

Meanwhile, on the Legaias side, Phillip and Bertie were doing really well, and working really well together, helping in any way they could. However, Violet and Norma tried to both take a leadership stance in this challenge. Norma started off by herself, doing pretty well, but Violet got jealous, and tried to step in.

"Now pull that piece back towards me, Phil. If we push it left we're going out of the way." ordered Violet.

Norma shook her head, "Excuse me, but left is where we need to go. If we push it towards you, and keep going, we're going to be in an endless loop of moving pieces."

Violet rolled her eyes, "Shut up. I know what I'm doing."

To Norma's surprise, Violet's strategy turned out to be the more effective, because compared to Prusol, they had half the board cleared out. But Prusol wasn't about to give up, especially as tension continued to rise between Norma and Violet.

"Come on! We can't lose this challenge! That's protein, man!" snapped Tamara, working harder and faster to make up for G-Money's slowness.

In the end...

…

…

…

Tamara's efforts all but failed, because Legaias was able to complete their puzzle first thanks to the likes of Violet and Norma.

"We're done Jeff." confirmed Violet, stepping back.

Jeff ran over to confirm victory for the Legaias tribe.

"And done they are! LEGAIAS WINS REWARD!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered.

"Great teamwork guys! I noticed at times you were having some issues with communication... but at the end of the day, your team managed to pull through, and win an amazing reward of chicken! I hope you guys enjoy! As for you, Prusol, got nothing for you. End on back to camp, see you tomorrow for the immunity challenge."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 11

After a simple victory, the Legaias tribe returned with their reward. The tribe was in much higher spirits following the last tribal council, and it seemed like, for now, things were at peace.

Already Dustin had taken out the sole rooster from the cage, and placed it on top of his afro. The rooster was oddly calm, and didn't do his signature noise.

"So... this little man reminds me of myself, man..." noted Dustin, "Calm... not a noise maker... and like... seriously chilled out, man. I call him... Egbert."

" _Today at the reward challenge... we won chicken. Man, chicken are like... the ancient bird people, man... like, deep down inside... maybe I was a chicken in another life. Chicken is the only meat I don't eat, man... they're like our Gods... or something... like I said; ancient bird people, man." - Dustin_

"What do you think we should call the others, Dustin?" giggled Mattie, watching as the rooster, now dubbed 'Egbert', rested calmly on Dustin's green afro.

Sgt. Rex laughed out loud, "HAH! Their names are simple! Monday, Monday Jr., and Wednesday! The hens go first!"

"And take away ten points for the typical response by the idiot." muttered Violet, under her breath.

" _Today at the reward challenge, typical Norma decided to get under my skin once again. Seriously, I think she's jealous of me. She's jealous of how I was able to get such a fine education, make valedictorian... and choose the life of a video game streamer. I think she's threatened by me." - Violet_

A few moments later, Sgt. Rex, Norma, Violet, Isabel, and Phillip were sitting around the camp fire, preparing to make some chicken for lunch.

"Listen up troops! We need all the meat we can possibly get! One chicken cannot feed all of us!" declared Sgt. Rex, "That's why we will eat two of the hens today! We'll save the others for later!"

"And what about those who want the eggs over the meat?" asked Violet, raising an eyebrow, "You do realize Bertie and Mattie are mostly vegetarian, right? Or do you not care about anyone's food habits?"

"Young lady, there's one hen in that cage that's popping eggs out like a machine! She's not getting eaten on my watch!" grinned Sgt. Rex.

" _We lost the last immunity challenge, and I'm sure as hell not going to watch as we lose the next one! The Rex Train isn't stopping for an empty stomach! No! We're going to eat two chickens, and tomorrow we will be stronger than ever as we crush the Prusol snakes under our feet! Ghahahaha!" - Sgt. Rex_

Norma raised her hand softly, "Excuse me, but would anyone mind if I cook today's lunch? I mean, once you're done snapping their necks, of course..."

Phillip smiled a little bit, "I didn't know you were a cook, Norma. I'm okay with you stepping in."

Norma chuckled a little bit, "Well.. I'm not exactly a cook. My husband does all the cooking in my family. He's a grill master, I'll have you know."

" _Being on the bottom of the chopping block, I need to find a way to make myself presentable, someone that people want to keep around. So... while Rex rubs people the wrong way, and people see Isabel as somebody whose too quiet, and by herself a lot... I want to be seen as an asset around camp." - Norma_

Violet raised an eyebrow, "Don't tell me you're going to fail this. Especially if you're not the grill master like your husband."

Norma chuckled, and winked at Violet, "Don't worry Violet, I'll make sure your portion is burnt on purpose." She then giggled, and then shook her head, clearly making a joke.

Once Sgt. Rex and Isabel peacefully ended the chickens' lives, and plucked them of their feathers, Norma was handed the meat to cook in the boiling pot of water.

" _Norma's definitely trying to fit in with the rest of the group. She's been the tribe mom since Day 1, and this is her first time cooking anything. Usually when it came to rice, that was Bertie's job. From what I could tell, Norma seemed nervous. I'm not sure she was confident in her ability to cook." - Isabel_

Sadly, Isabel was correct about her opinion on Norma... because Norma let the two pieces of chicken cook for way too long, and... as she joked earlier... they were burnt, and a little crispy on some edges.

"Sorry guys..." sighed Norma, "I guess I just... I don't know what happened. No excuses."

"Gee, go wonder. The woman who joked about burning my piece of chicken, burned it. Should have guessed it." muttered Violet, out loud.

"But I didn't do it on purpose, though. That was a joke, Violet..." replied Norma, a little frustrated.

"What's done is done, guys. It was just a mistake." spoke up Isabel, stepping in to help prepare the chicken, which was still to be eaten anyway by the tribe.

" _Norma totally did that on purpose to spite me. She's jealous of me, and didn't like that I was able to outperform her puzzle skills at the reward challenge today. I just can't stand that bitch. She's crafty, but plays behind a nice persona, and frankly I think it's bullshit. She's just met her maker." - Violet_

Meanwhile, while all the fuss was going on with the chicken, Dustin was down on the beach alone with the chicken on his head.

"You know, Egbert..." he said to the chicken, "I think I found myself a new friend, man... like, Mister Oak didn't understand me... but that's because trees think differently from chicken..."

Egbert didn't respond. Only moved his head in weird ways like a rooster commonly would.

" _Survivor's been a wild acid trip, man... and here I am making friends with a chicken... and I gotta say, man... like... I would do it again... and again... and again. It's funny, man... back in school, when I had my wicked long blue hair... I was called a Disney Princess, man... the animals loved me." - Dustin_

"Yeah.. I know right? At least with one of your kind... I can be one with the wind... a fresh breath of the wild..." sighed Dustin, happily.

Suddenly, Dustin raised his hands up to grab the chicken with his hands. He then ran forward, and leaped off a... cliff? The chicken then started to flap his wings to help glide Dustin along his way.

And once again, Dustin started to sing in his manly tone of voice, "You're the one that makes me feel so high... just like the diamonds in the sky... I'll never want to hear you say goodbye...!"

Meanwhile, back in reality, Bertie walked down to the beach, and noticed Dustin running around in circles on the beach, carrying the rooster above his head. The rooster was not freaking out or flapping his wings. In addition, a cameraman was following him around, running around in circles as well.

"...the hell is that kid on anyway?" muttered Bertie to himself as he shook his head, "And more importantly... how the hell does he keep acting that way?"

" _You know... I never quite understood Dustin. He acts like one of those druggies, but you'd think that drug would have worn off by now. Has he taken so many drugs that he's just... permanently brain damaged? I just don't think Dustin's mind has been on the game at all. He's a distraction." - Bertie_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 11

Tamara and Nicholas were busy washing their clothes in the water down by the beach. The rest of the tribe could be seen back at camp, doing not much of anything.

"So you tell me, Nicholas, is it back to the cutting block with us? Or are we going to get back into this?" asked Tamara.

Nicholas shook his head, "I don't want to lose challenges. You know that. I'm the weakest guy here, and if it's not me, then a strong player has to go home..."

" _One of the disadvantages of being the weakest link on the tribe... well, since I don't want to be voted out, every vote from this point on will be... well, voting out the strong. Tamara's next, and I know that she's aware of that. That's why I would rather not lose another challenge, and get weaker." - Nicholas_

Tamara looked over at him, "...besides me, who would you vote out of this game? I know you tight with G-Money. Would it be Big Gretch or Turnbull?"

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders, "Like... seriously? I don't know. I really enjoy Dylan as a person. He's really good at what he does, and knows Survivor back and front. Big Gretch is... ugh... she's just dumb. I'll say it."

Tamara nodded her head, "See that? Now you're thinking. True, we're all strong. 'Cept you, of course. You know that. But mentally... you're a hell of a lot better than Big Gretch ever would be."

" _I could have Turnbull and Big Gretch ready to vote G-Money out in a few days... but it doesn't hurt to stir the pot just in case I need to save myself. So I tried to get some words out of Nicholas' mouth. See, he knows Big Gretch is a dumbass. I need him to think that voting her out will help the tribe." - Tamara_

"Like, there was no way she could have helped us win some meat," continued Tamara, "You thought G-Money sucked today? Gretch would have been all over the place, man..."

"I mean, I suppose so..." shrugged Nicholas. He really didn't like where this conversation was headed, and he didn't want to continue it.

"If I were you, I would target G-Money or Gretch next. Not me. See, I got no allies. I'm a lone wolf, ready to attach myself to just about anyone. I know you like G-Money... but that fool don't care about you." explained Tamara.

"You're not wrong about that... you're all alone, and you could be a good ally." repeated Nicholas, smiling lightly at her.

" _Tamara's trying really hard to get my vote. It's just not going to happen. I don't want to think about tribal council, or voting anybody out. I just want to win challenges, and make the merge. I feel like the more we talk about the game and turning on eachother... the less morale we'll have." - Nicholas_

Tamara shrugged, "Just think about it, man. I can be a great meat shield. G-Money's not meaty enough to take all them bullets flying at him once that merge hits."

Nicholas nodded his head, choosing not to speak anymore about the game. The rest of the afternoon for him and Tamara consisted of cleaning their clothes, and moving on to do chores.

Meanwhile, back at camp, Dylan, G-Money, and Gretch were talking about all of the events that had happened in the last couple days.

"So, did you hear what Tamara had to say yesterday?" asked Dylan, before shaking his head, "Boy... I gotta tell you, she's desperate."

G-Money laughed a little bit, "You telling me! Bitch has her bags packed a few days ago. Might as well not try!"

"Better yet, she's trying to get you out," chuckled Dylan, "She claims you're the puppet master!"

" _Tamara and I have a sour relationship. I mean, c'mon man, it's clear as day! She hates me because I'm better than her. That's it. That's all I see. And she thinks I'm the puppet master?" (He laughs a little bit.) "Boy, maybe in an old life, but out here man? I'm far from being the one in power!" - G-Money_

"Wait? She tell you too? She also told me vote out G-Money. Wasn't sure what to think." replied Gretch.

"And I just about guarantee you she's down there telling Nicholas what to do." warned Dylan, shaking his head.

G-Money shook his head as well, "Don't bet on it. Nicky has my back. He ain't about to betray us. Kid ain't a good liar, so I will know if he's thinking about it."

Dylan held his hands out, "Look, does it matter? I mean, Tamara is just worthless in the game of Survivor. I think we may even need to toss a challenge in order to get her out. We're five, they're eight. Tamara's definitely flipping."

" _I know how Survivor works. I know how people like Tamara wanna play the game. As soon as we merge, Tamara's going straight over to Legaias, and that's it for us. Sure, we have the last laugh because she just lost the game, but listen, that's not going to happen. Because this is my story." - Dylan_

Gretch shook her head, "No! Big Gretch throw no challenge! You take that back Turnbull!"

Dylan held a hand up, "Whoa, hold on, Gretch... I didn't say we do it now. I said maybe we should think about it. I'm all for winning challenges over and over again. But can we trust Tamara?"

"Hmphm... true, maybe not. She betray me in heartbeat if not for Big Gretch big move..." grumbled Gretch.

G-Money laughed a little bit, "As for me, I say when that time comes, we just all sit back with a beer and popcorn and let Tamara try to solo that shit."

With that said, the three players agreed to such a plan for the near future, and changed the subject to real life events.

" _Not sure where Turnbull came up with such nonsense. He a bull! Not coward! Why throw challenge for one puny woman elimination? But... Turnbull also make sense. Tamara not trustworthy. Will betray Prusol out of spite and hatred. Prusol team already small team. Can't be smaller tribe!" - Gretch_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back immunity from you, Prusol."

Dylan did so.

"For today's challenge, five tribe members will be holding cubes that contain answers to a quiz. These range from true, false, A, B, C, and D. One at a time, tribe members will walk up, and be asked a question about last season's Survivor: Kermadec Islands. I hope you studied last season before you came out. If you get it right, you score a point. First tribe to have all five tribe members answer correctly wins immunity. Losers go to tribal council where the fourth person will be voted out of this game. Let's get started."

Prusol obviously had to run this challenge with their only five remaining players; Nicholas, G-Money, Dylan, Tamara, and Gretch. Legaias, meanwhile, decided to go with Mattie, Norma, Violet, Phillip, and Isabel.

"Alright, first up, let's have Dylan Turnbull come up for Prusol, and Phillip Sanchez come up for Legaias!"

Both Dylan and Phillip walked on up, and shook hands with one another before the question was asked.

"Always happy to meet someone new." smiled Phillip in a friendly manner.

"Always happy to meet the man who replaced unfunny Trevor Noah." chuckled Dylan, sarcastically.

"Alright, first question; What was the reason Whitney targeted three of the boys on her tribe at the first tribal council? A, they were morons. B, they were white, straight men. C, they were alienating her from the tribe. Or D, because she's crazy."

Dylan chose the answer B, while Phillip chose the answer D.

"While D is technically close, the real reason is because Alec, Jason, and Charlie were all white, straight men. Dylan gets a point, and scores for Prusol!"

Dylan did an arm pump, nodding his head in a confident manner. Phillip shook his head, but shrugged it off, knowing it was only the first question.

"Alright, next up, let's have G-Money and Mattie come on up to face off!"

G-Money smirked in a cocky fashion, looking over Mattie as they walked up to face off in the challenge. Mattie ignored his gazes, and focused on the challenge, smiling brightly as she normally did.

"Next question; Brian, Grace, Charlie, and Yvette all knew eachother before the game began. True or False?"

G-Money shrugged his shoulders, and held up True. Mattie smiled confidently, and held up False.

"That statement is false! While Brian, Charlie, and Yvette knew eachother, they did not know Grace, despite Grace being the cloned daughter of a former Survivor contestant. Mattie scores for Legaias, and we're tied 1-1!"

G-Money shook his head, feeling like that was a trick question for him. Mattie did a little dance as she waltzed back to her tribe.

"Okay, let's have Nicholas for Prusol, and Norma for Legaias come on up!"

Both Nicholas and Norma walked up calmly towards Jeff, and waited patiently for his question.

"Okay, next question; What was Stuart charged with before being sentenced to death and surviving thereafter? A, arson. B, rape. C, murder. Or D, selling drugs?"

Norma bit her lower lip, forgetting who Stuart was from the first season. Nicholas, however, remembered who Stuart was, and held up the C answer. Norma held up D.

"Stuart was charged with murdering a police officer, before being sentenced to death, and surviving the electric chair. Nicholas gets it right, and that's another point for Prusol!"

Nicholas smiled, returning back to his tribe in glee. Norma sighed a little bit, feeling a little down after failing the question. Violet rolled her eyes a little bit.

"Alright, why don't we have the strong women face off against eachother! Tamara for Prusol, and Isabel for Legaias!"

Tamara stretched her arms out, grabbing her answer cube, and running up to Jeff. Isabel followed her without running, ready to answer the question.

"Next question; True or False, G.W. was not the only person last season that was autistic."

Both Tamara and Isabel didn't quite know if that was a true statement or not. Both had a different answer to the question...

…

…

…

"Tamara says the statement is false. Isabel says the statement is true. Correct answer is True! G.W. was not the only autistic player last season, as he shared that trait with Professor Blanche Hogan. We're tied once again with Isabel answering correctly, 2-2!"

Isabel nodded softly, remaining calm under pressure after winning a point for her tribe. Tamara shook her head in frustration, returning back to her tribe as G-Money snickered a little bit at her frustration.

"Last pair may come on up! Big Gretch will be taking on Violet!"

Violet grinned to herself, seeing who she was up against, and she knew she had this one in the bag. Gretch sighed a little, unsure if she could pull this out for her tribe.

"Your question is; what was Kris' self proclaimed title? A, Baseball Girl. B, Sandlot's Best. C, Tough With A Bat. Or D, Sandlot Slugger?"

Violet quickly held up D, while Gretch fumbled a little with her cube, holding up A, as that was the only thing she remembered about her.

"Violet's right. Kris called herself the Sandlot Slugger throughout the season. Violet scores the third point for Legaias, and Legaias takes the lead!"

"Not even a challenge..." muttered Violet to herself, returning back to her tribe. Gretch grumbled to herself, returning back to her tribe.

Dylan noticed how badly his tribe was doing, and whispered something to help them out, "I bet this will be a question later... if he asks the full name of last season's winner... it's Hughes. Jason Hughes."

Both G-Money and Gretch nodded their heads, taking Dylan's advice. Tamara ignored him, though, confident she could win without his advice.

"Okay, next up, we'll bring the losers back up to face against eachother. G-Money will go up for Prusol, and Phillip will try again for Legaias!"

G-Money and Phillip both walked on up towards Jeff to answer the question given to them, confident they would win this.

"Next question; True or False, Betty Murphy was a make up artist on Youtube."

For the first time in the challenge, both players answered the same way; False.

"Both Phillip and G-Money say false, and they are correct. Betty was a fashion Youtuber, not a make up artist. Both players get it right, and both Legaias and Prusol get a point! Legaias only needs one more point to win immunity!"

Both G-Money and Phillip were happy to finally get a point, returning back to their tribes in good spirits. Norma took a deep breath, feeling all of the pressure on her.

"Please don't fuck this up..." muttered Violet under her breath.

"Okay, let's give Tamara a second chance to get a point for Prusol, and Legaias' fate lies on Norma's shoulders. If Norma can answer this question right, Legaias wins immunity."

Norma took another deep breath upon reaching Jeff, feeling calm, confident, and ready to win. Tamara composed herself mentally, ready to answer the question.

"Your question is; what location did Jason and Betty's rivalry first begin? A, the spa. B, final tribal council. C, when Brian was voted out. Or D, it was just a personal vendetta?"

Both Tamara and Norma were unsure of the answer. Both women had to think about the question before giving an answer.

…

…

…

...Tamara raised up the letter A, while Norma raised up the letter C.

"Correct answer is A, the spa. Betty caught Jason looking for the hidden immunity idol clue after their showers, and it only sprung on from there. Tamara scores a point, and now we're tied 4-4!"

Norma kicked herself a little bit for forgetting about that one reward. Tamara did a fist pump, sighing happily that she got the question right.

"Norma, you can stay here, because Big Gretch is coming up to try and win for Prusol!"

Dylan smirked to himself. He was hoping to lose the immunity challenge just so he could get rid of Tamara. Meanwhile, Violet sighed a little, "Okay... it's just the fat dumb girl. She's got this."

"If you answer this question correctly, you win your tribe immunity. The final question is... What is the full name of the winner of Survivor: Kermadec Islands. First and last name. A, Jason Hicks. B, Jason Heyward. C, Jason Hudson. Or D, Jason Hughes."

Both Dylan and Violet were sweating mentally in their heads. Dylan secretly hoped Gretch forget what he told her, and Violet was hoping Norma watched enough Survivor to know Jason's last name.

Gretch blinked... remembering what Dylan said, but couldn't tell the difference between B and D on her answer cube. Norma tried to remember the last name, but couldn't connect the dots so easily in her head.

In the end...

…

…

…

…

…

"...Norma says Jason Hudson. That is wrong. Big Gretch says... Jason Hughes. Hughes is right! BIG GRETCH WINS IMMUNITY FOR PRUSOL!"

All of Prusol hugged and cheered.

"Wow! Now that's what I call a clutch victory, guys! Right job! Big Gretch pulled it off, who would have guessed that! Congratulations Prusol, nobody going home tonight. However, you do need to select someone to sit in at Legaias' tribal council. Turnbull went last time, who's it gonna be this time?"

Another short discussion was met amongst the five members of Prusol. After a short discussion, a decision was made on an interesting choice.

"I'm going to visit tribal council tonight. I think it might be fun... who knows?" smiled Nicholas.

"Fair enough. Nicholas, you will be heading to tribal council tonight to listen in on Legaias voting out another member. Legaias, speaking of which, someone is going to go home after 12 days of Survivor. Tonight, we'll find out who that's going to be. See you all then."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 12

With yet another tribal council coming Legaias' way, there was certainly a lot up in the air over what needed to happen to progress forward in the game.

Far away from camp, the newly formed majority alliance of Dustin, Mattie, Violet, Phillip, and Bertie were discussing the vote, and who should be voted out between the other three players.

"No question in my mind, Norma's going home. That's it, that's a done deal," ordered Violet, "After 'joking' to burn my portion of chicken, and doing it anyway... to losing to some country bumpkin... I've just about had enough of her. She's dead to me."

"Then I guess that's it then. Norma's the target tonight." shrugged Mattie.

" _Violet and Norma have been, like, feuding with one another ever since the beginning of the game. Violet did really well in school, and Norma has a problem with how she spends her life despite that education. Violet's an emotional girl, and I would much rather satisfy her to keep peace!" - Mattie_

"I mean, I think it's fair that Norma was the weakest link between her, Rex, and Isabel," replied Phillip, "But you seem to be taking this a little personally, Violet..."

Violet rolled her eyes, "Have you not seen what I've seen? She's out to get me. Wouldn't be surprised if she threw the challenge."

"...why in the hell would she do that, anyway?" asked Bertie, annoyed.

"Just so she could keep her dignity and not quit the game like the coward she is." replied Violet, assertively.

" _Norma's jealous of my intelligence, like I've said over and over again. Today sealed her fate. She lost to some fat lumberjack lady who probably has never seen a day of Survivor in her life! If she wants to be voted out, request granted, I'd say. Rex gets to stay in this game because of her actions." - Violet_

Eventually, the decision to vote out Norma was agreed upon by the group, with some hesitation by some of the other players.

Dustin looked upwards at the chicken still resting in his afro, "I think the chicken likes our idea, man... like.. think about it... he thinks the less savage beasts are around... the less likely he'll be eaten for dinner..."

Mattie giggled a little bit, "You're sure right about that! That's a good way of looking at things, isn't it?"

"Always look on the bright side of life man... it may be the difference between, like... seven years of a peaceful chicken life... or seven days of being a chicken before being eaten." replied Dustin.

" _I've found my peace in the Legaias tribe, man... like... the vibe of the tribe is like... so much better, man. Nobody hates me... nobody thinks I'm a total dweeb... or at least like... unlike Tamara, they don't say it to my face... maybe that's a good thing. Nobody, like... sees my personality as bad." - Dustin_

Dustin picked the chicken off of his afro, and cradled it in his arms, "Let's go Egbert... let's go fly in the sky some more, man... relax in the arms of the strong winds as they carry us through..." The chicken tilted it's head in confusion as Dustin walked off with it.

Violet and Phillip just shook their heads with a light chuckle, while Mattie followed Dustin just to watch him be weird. Meanwhile, Bertie looked the most annoyed.

"These damn kids I swear..." sighed Bertie, rubbing his forehead.

" _I don't know what kind of parents would raise their kids to be so... irresponsible. Why on Earth would Phillip think this is best for us? I can't stand how Violet treats people, and I can't stand how Dustin takes nothing serious. I don't want to reward this behavior with more days on Survivor..." - Bertie_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Sgt. Rex, Isabel, and Norma were sitting around the campfire, discussing the vote on their end. Norma was upset over losing the immunity challenge.

"Cheer up Norma!" laughed Sgt. Rex, "So what if you're not good at Survivor trivia? That's not what makes a warrior! Or a soldier! You're still a fighter!"

"I know, I know... but they're writing my name down tonight. I can just feel it..." sighed Norma.

" _I wanted so badly to stand out in the minority alliance, and become a provider, win a few challenges... but today and yesterday just blew up in my face. My kids, my husband... they know who I really am. I just make mistakes, like any other human. I'm not a quitter, I will fight to stay in the game." - Norma_

"With Violet rallying the alliance against you, that's certainly a possibility," replied Isabel, honestly, "The swing votes are probably going to be the two guys."

"Ah! Yes!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "Bertie and Phillip! Exactly what we need! I know for a fact Bertie can't stand the younger crowd here, and yes I know Dustin's older but Christ almighty I wouldn't know it by the way he acts! Anyway, we just need to flip Bertie, and Bertie needs to flip Phillip! That's five votes!"

Isabel nodded her head, "May I also suggest giving the option to Bertie himself? Let him decide who we vote off tonight?"

" _Rex and I are both aware that Bertie doesn't like Violet or Dustin one bit. He can't hide his emotions one bit, and I'm amazed Violet hasn't picked up on that. The idea I proposed was giving all the power to Bertie, and letting him decide who goes home. Maybe then my alliance has a chance." - Isabel_

Sgt. Rex nodded his head, giving Isabel a thumbs up, "I like that idea, Buchanan! Let's do it! I'll do the honor, and I will report back as soon as I am able to!" He then saluted both women before leaving the camp site to go find Bertie.

A few minutes later, Bertie and Sgt. Rex were taking a walk down by the water, discussing the plan.

"If you had to vote anybody out right now, who would it be and why?" asked Sgt. Rex, looking over at him.

Bertie sighed a little, rubbing the back of his head, "Ugh... probably Dustin. I mean look at the kid. He's a distraction for this tribe... and it ain't a wonder why he was dumped so quickly by Prusol. Once a traitor, always a traitor."

"Ahaha! Of course! Why didn't I think of that!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "Then it's settled! We will vote Dustin out tonight! You got my word, Bertie, that he's my target. Once that hipster's out of the game, we'll finally get our hands on that goddamn chicken!"

" _See, how easy was that? The Rex Train doesn't stop until it's delivered it's message to its location! In this case, delivering the plan to Bertie, and getting his suggestion on who to vote out! Dustin's been walking around like a nutcase since he arrived at our camp, and he will leave tonight!" - Sgt. Rex_

Bertie shook his head, "Don't know how he's managed to keep that thing calm. But knock yourselves out if you want."

Sgt. Rex continued to speak, "So then, are we good old man? Dustin goes home, and we're a stronger, well balanced tribe! Deal?"

Bertie nodded his head, "Alright, Rex, let's just see what happens. No promises, but... it's tempting, no doubt about that."

Sgt. Rex grinned at that response, shaking Bertie's hand firmly before the duo separated from one another.

" _Between Norma and Dustin, it's no doubt in my mind that Norma deserves to stay. She's a kind lady who just wants the best for her family. Dustin... I don't know what the hell he wants. How can a forty year old 'adult' act the way he does? But... I can't do this alone. I need Phillip's help." - Bertie_

Hours before tribal council, Bertie and Phillip were talking about the vote, and which group to side with tonight.

"Rex came up to me... and he said that he's fine with voting out Dustin tonight. The less distractions the better," explained Bertie, "Can't do it without you, Phil. Whaddya say?"

Phillip placed his hands on his hips, "Damn... I don't know. I mean... think about it like this, Bertie, with this alliance we have... you and I can certainly beat any one of them. Mattie, Violet, Dustin... they're goats! We're not!"

"And you wanna bet those three won't team up against us? Dustin may be forty years old, but he's certainly a 'young guy' in their minds given the way he acts..." muttered Bertie.

" _I think my closest ally so far has been Bertie. We've been the swing votes since the last tribal council, and once again, here we sit! Dustin's certainly... not the best person to live with. But at the same time, when you think endgame, Dustin's easy to beat. Norma probably won't be as easy!" - Phillip_

"Truthfully, I trust Rex and Isabel a whole lot more than Violet and Mattie... but right now, nobody is targeting us," explained Phillip, "If we vote Dustin out, we might become targets. If we vote Norma out, we're still in the middle."

"Hrrmm... and given my age I can't afford to be a target... same with you and your celebrity status." replied Bertie, conflicted.

Phillip nodded his head, "Yet at the same time... I really like Norma. She's a sweet girl, a caring mother. Violet's only voting her out for personal reasons.. and I don't want to play like that. Gahh... tonight's going to be rough."

Phillip and Bertie continued this discussion back and forth. Eventually, they came to an agreement they were both comfortable with.

" _In the end, I need to do what's best for my game. Not Bertie's, or Violet's for that matter. I'm coming into this game with probably the highest celebrity status so far in the new series of Survivor. I can't afford to have the target on me. At the same time... I need to make big moves in order to win." - Phillip_

– – – – –

The Legaias tribe arrived at tribal council.

"We'll now bring in Nicholas, coming in from the Prusol tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Nicholas had a bright smile on his face as he walked into tribal council, excited to be here, and ready to find out what's going to happen.

"Ever since Dustin's mutiny, things have went from amazing... to terrible in only a matter of days. Isabel, do you think Dustin making that decision hurt Legaias more than help?" asked Jeff.

Isabel shook her head.

"No Jeff, I feel like we've been on a downward spiral for awhile now. Dustin may have come when we hit our lowest point, but he's not the sole reason why we've been losing. There's been other factors that play into it." replied Isabel.

Sgt. Rex and Norma nodded their heads in agreement. Dustin wiped some sweat off of his brow.

"Sgt. Rex, clearly last night you were shocked when Simon was voted out. How does it feel to not have control of your 'troops', your tribe?" asked Jeff.

Sgt. Rex laughed a little bit.

"Hah! Well it's never a good thing! I gotta say, not being in power puts me out of my element! But this is Survivor, Jeff! In Survivor, the Rex Train makes a different course! A course for freedom from the bottom!" replied Sgt. Rex.

"Bertie, Sgt. Rex is clearly one of the strongest players on this tribe, and after losing Simon at the last vote, would it make sense to vote out yet another strong player just because he's a threat?" asked Jeff.

Bertie shook his head.

"Absolutely not. Simon was a strong man, but we hardly got to know him. He was quiet, self reserved, and seemed to have no respect for anyone. Tonight, it's about making the team stronger. Not weaker." replied Bertie.

Phillip nodded his head in agreement.

"Mattie, just so I can get a straight answer for someone... I need to address the elephant in the room. There's a chicken just resting peacefully on Dustin's head. What's going on over there?" asked Jeff.

Mattie giggled, looking over at Dustin, who did indeed still have the rooster resting in his green afro.

"Dustin's built a little connection with the little guy! Like, Dustin has this ability to make friends with... just about anything that, as he puts it, has life. He's friends with trees... plants... birds... even himself!" replied Mattie.

"True story, man... I've met myself in my dreams... another me from another world or past life..." said Dustin.

"Norma, clearly that makes Dustin a blast to have around camp, but could you also see it as a distraction?" asked Jeff.

Norma nodded her head.

"Absolutely. In school, whenever a kid gets too rambunctious, they go into time out. Dustin's never had to go into time out, though, so I can't comment on that! But yeah... he has his moments of funny... and his moments of pure disruption." replied Norma.

"But I disrupt with a purpose man... sometimes you need that slice of excitement in your life..." defended Dustin.

"Violet, how about you? Do you think Dustin's a distraction around camp? Or an asset?" asked Jeff.

"If anyone's a distraction, it's not him. Dustin's his own person, Jeff. There's other distractions in this tribe, and I won't name names. But it's certainly not... Mattie... or Dustin... or Phillip... or Uncle Bertie... not even Isabel or Sgt. Rex." replied Violet.

Norma sighed a little bit, shaking her head.

"...oh, and it's definitely not Nicholas." quipped Violet, looking over in Nicholas' direction.

"I think I got the message. It's time to vote, Bertie, you're up."

– – –

Phillip's Vote: "This vote has to be made tonight. Nothing personal, I'm sorry." (?)

Sgt. Rex's Vote: "Get that rooster off your head, and onto my dinner plate!" (Dustin)

Violet's Vote: "Oops, did I say that out loud? Oh wait, I actually did. Bye bye bitch." (Norma)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Norma. (She nodded her head, sadly.)

…

Dustin. One vote Dustin, one vote Norma.

…

…

Norma. Two votes Norma, one vote Dustin.

…

Dustin. Tied two votes Dustin, two votes Norma. (Dustin looked dully at Jeff during the vote reading process.)

…

…

Norma. That's three votes Norma, two votes Dustin.

…

Dustin. Tied again, three votes Dustin, three votes Norma. (Phillip and Bertie both looked at eachother.)

…

…

…

…

Norma. That's four votes Norma, three votes Dustin. (Norma sighed, gathering her things at this point, knowing the inevitable.)

Fourth person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands, Norma. That's five, that's enough, you need to bring me your torch.

"Sorry guys, good luck!" smiled Norma, maintaining her dignity and keeping her head held high as she grabbed her things, and her torch, bringing it up to Jeff.

"Norma, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out her torch.

"Time for you to go."

Norma nodded her head, giving a friendly good bye wave to the Legaias tribe before leaving tribal council. As soon as she left, the rooster on top of Dustin's head let out a loud crow. Sgt. Rex glared daggers at it, after it was finished crowing.

"Hopefully this is the vote that brings Legaias closer together. There seemed to be tension, and I believe that tension is soon to be cleansed. But for now, we have to move on over to the mutiny decision."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Dustin, having received the second most votes tonight, you now have the opportunity to, once again, mutiny from the Legaias tribe, and join the Prusol tribe. You will still be marked a Traitor, and nothing much would change... you'll just be pressing the reset button on joining this tribe in the first place. So what is your decision?"

Dustin didn't waste any time in making a decision. He knew what he had to do.

…

…

…

"Man... I love this tribe, man... it's my new home... sorry Nicholas.. but I'm happy here." smiled Dustin, placing his arms around Mattie and Violet in a friendly manner.

"Very well. No mutiny happens tonight, but never say never. Grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Legaias tribe soon left the tribal council area.

Jeff then turned to Nicholas, tossing him a rolled up note, "As for you, Nicholas, because you were chosen to represent Prusol tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I think you'll find its message important."

Nicholas smiled, taking the note from Jeff, and stuffing it in his pocket. With that done, he soon left the tribal council area.

– – – – –

 **Norma's Final Words**

"I did the best that I could, and even though I didn't make it all the way to the end, I think 12 days is good enough for a kindergarten teacher like me! Violet needs to learn some manners. She may have had a good education, but she certainly did not graduate at the school of respect and kindness!"

VOTE

Dustin – Norma, Isabel, and Sgt. Rex

Norma – Bertie, Mattie, Dustin, Phillip, and Violet

 _ **Final Thoughts on Norma Martin:**_ Probably the first hard elimination of the season. Yes, even before the hiatus Norma was meant to leave here still. Norma was meant to go farther than intended, just because Holli was out early... but honestly, I wanted to build up Violet as a character, so I used this episode to build upon that, and give Norma a decent exit boot edit. Hopefully it wasn't too obvious!

Norma wasn't without her faults, because she certainly did not make a good impression of herself trying to be a 'Mom' to Violet, concerned about her giving up her education for gaming. In real life, sure, she could do that. But in a game worth one million dollars, that's enough to send you out the door. While Norma made plenty of mistakes in this episode, she was already on bad footing with Violet.

So in the end, Norma's the first sad boot personally. I didn't want to send her out early... but sometimes you got to bite the bullet, and send some good players, good people out early. Norma's just one of those players. I think she has a good chance of appearing again... definitely higher than Simon, Holli, or Sherry for that matter. She was definitely liked according to the polls so... we'll see!

…...I'm completely sorry for this long hiatus. But I'm back, better than ever! I won't have another hiatus like this for a pretty long time. It was a combination of health issues, computer issues... but those are mostly taken care of, and I'm back to write some Survivor for my readers! ….I mean, those who still stuck around all this time... thank you!

Sadly, I do intend to drop the OC only rule of the second series. Third season we will return to canon characters. We'll keep the time skip, though. Just... let's say time passed differently in other worlds outside of the 'real world', LOL. But nobody from the first series will ever return to play again. Just a fair warning!

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	6. Episode 5 Project Kamikaze

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _With Simon out of the game, the alliance Sgt. Rex planned from Day 1 was just down to himself, Isabel, and Norma. With the divide growing larger between them and the rest of the tribe, it was only a matter of time before they were wiped out. Meanwhile, Phillip Sanchez managed to find the hidden immunity idol while nobody was paying attention._

 _Over at Prusol, Tamara continued to stir the pot, speaking with Dylan over G-Money potentially controlling the game. Dylan played along with her delusions, but really had no intentions of working with her. If anything, it cemented her spot at the bottom of the totem pole._

 _At the reward challenge, despite disagreements between Norma and Violet, Legaias was able to secure a reward of three egg laying hens and one rooster._

 _Back at camp, Norma offered to step in and cook the chicken for lunch. However, after making a poor joke over burning the chicken on purpose, Norma really did burn the food, irritating Violet, and making her believe Norma did it all on purpose. Meanwhile, Dustin made a friend with the rooster, who appeared to be very calm. All of the tension and weirdness in camp made Bertie question his position in the tribe._

 _Back at Prusol, Tamara continued her onslaught, and stirred the pot with Nicholas, trying to get him to name a target. While she pushed G-Money as a target, she also pushed Gretch as she believed Gretch was a mental liability. Nicholas played along with her, but did not give her anything of value. Meanwhile, Dylan exposed Tamara's plans to G-Money, and only fueled the fire against her._

 _At the immunity challenge, Legaias excelled throughout the entire challenge. When it came down to Gretch and Norma, assistance from Dylan allowed Gretch to get a correct answer, winning Prusol their second immunity challenge in a row._

 _Before tribal council, Violet made it extremely clear that Norma had to be voted off. Her attitude, along with Dustin's weird antics with the chicken, caused Bertie to want to flip back over to Sgt. Rex's side. Meanwhile, Isabel suggested giving Bertie and Phillip the option of who to vote off, and they would join in. When approached, Bertie wanted to vote off Dustin over Violet or Mattie. Once again, it would come down to Bertie and Phillip on who to vote out._

 _At tribal council, Bertie and Phillip once again stuck to the plan, and Norma was voted out in a 5-3 decision. The duo continue to hide in the shadows, and Sgt. Rex and Isabel have nowhere left to run. How long is this going to go on? 12 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Bertie, Dustin, Isabel, Mattie, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, Nicholas, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Legaias Day 13

The Legaias tribe returned from tribal council, and the only one who felt satisfied with the results was Violet, who was just so darn happy that Norma was gone.

"Thank God... that mess is through and over with," smiled Violet, "Norma was sabotaging us from Day 1. Voting Simon off was a mistake, in my eyes."

" _I should never mistake my judgments again. We voted Simon off to cause Rex to go off the rails... and he didn't do anything remotely like that. Norma was the problem from Day 1, and she was just a basic bitch. Sure, I don't have a normal job. But I did have a normal education. Better than hers." - Violet_

"But we did what was best for the tribe!" smiled Mattie, "Norma was the weakest link... and she had to go home."

"And we don't need someone like her throwing off our mojo, man... like... she was a sweet lady... like Holli... but she just didn't seem to take anything seriously, man..." grinned Dustin. The rooster was still resting in his afro, minding it's own business.

"Well... clearly she wasn't the only one." muttered Bertie under his breath.

" _Norma didn't deserve to go home last night. But... I remember what my grandpappy said to me when I was back in school... 'Suck it up, Sissy!'. That's what I gotta do out here; suck it up. Violet and Dustin are the enigmas within the Legaias camp... but if it gets me that check... I gotta deal with it." - Bertie_

Phillip cleared his throat, "Point is... we voted out the tension lingering in our tribe. Hopefully that puts all the differences behind us, and we can win the next immunity challenge."

"Amen to that, buddy..." chuckled Dustin, reaching over to fist bump Phillip, "Now if you'll excuse me... Egbert and I gotta, like... tune out for the night. We have adventures to endure tomorrow..."

"Alright, good night Dustin, speaking of which, I think we all need some shut eye now..." chuckled Phillip, watching Dustin wander off back to the shelter.

" _As the effects of my homebrew creation begin to wear off man... I just want to continue to have fun. Like... there's too much negativity, man... and this chicken?" (He holds up the rooster, who just tilts its head) "This chicken is a symbol, man... that everything's going to be okay. You feeling me?" - Dustin_

Eventually, the rest of the tribe followed Dustin to sleep. The only ones still awake were Isabel and Sgt. Rex, who were standing around the fire.

Suddenly, Sgt. Rex clapped his hands together, "Alright! Let's go Isabel! Time to eat!" He then walked over towards the shelter.

Isabel raised an eyebrow, "But it's after midnight, Rex... we need our sleep."

Sgt. Rex laughed it off, reaching inside the shelter to take the rooster off of Dustin's sleeping head, "Nonsense! Not like the rest of the tribe cares about us anymore. We're their fodder, Buchanan! Anything we do... ain't mean nothing to them no more!"

" _The Rex Train has slammed through the buffers! We're outta coal, and there ain't no way out of the mess Violet created in our tribe! Mattie could choke on her food tomorrow, Isabel and I take turns performing CPR... and we would still be voted out next! To that, I say; what's there to lose?" - Sgt. Rex_

"This... really doesn't seem right. We're just going to take this chicken from Dustin?" asked Isabel, feeling a little unsure of herself.

Sgt. Rex shook her head, "It's food, Buchanan! You remember the phrase, right? In that old, old movie about clownfish and amnesia, yeah? Fish are friends, not food? Well... in this world, chicken is food, not a friend!"

As Sgt. Rex rambled, the chicken stared into one of the cameras filming them, tilting it's head one last time.

" _Rex definitely feels frustrated with how badly our luck has been. But.. I feel like now he's reached his breaking point. If we go back to tribal council... he's definitely making a target for himself... but he's been doing that from Day 1, and he's still here. Which really makes me nervous, honestly." - Isabel_

A few moments later, Sgt. Rex and Isabel finished cooking, and eating the chicken. Sgt. Rex was nibbling on one of the bones to get more of the meat off of it.

"Ahhh... nothing like chicken off the bone, eh Buchanan?" grinned Sgt. Rex.

Isabel sighed, feeling extremely guilty, "I feel sick to my stomach, Rex. Dustin's going to be so mad at what we did without his permission..."

Sgt. Rex scoffed, "Really? You're concerned about how the druggie feels, Buchanan? Dustin hasn't given a shit since he arrived here! He'll probably forget the chicken even existed!"

"I don't know... but I still feel horrible about it." sighed Isabel once more, rubbing some sweat off of her forehead.

" _If I knew siding with Rex was... going to put me in a situation like this, I probably wouldn't have aligned with him. But... then I remember at how often I was abandoned in life. Nobody... really cared about me. Out here... nobody cares about Rex... except for me. It's really difficult to explain..." - Isabel_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 13

Walking down to the water well, Nicholas and G-Money were talking about the game, and what happened at last night's tribal council.

"Dustin's doing really well without us, apparently... he made friends with the rooster they won yesterday." chuckled Nicholas, a smile on his face.

G-Money rolled his eyes with a smile, "Same old Dustin... surprised they haven't canned him yet. Guess they be using him for something."

" _Last night, after witnessing Legaias' second tribal council, Jeff Probst gave me what appeared to be a clue to the location of the hidden immunity idol. G-Money is my closest ally in the game, so I wanted to share this information with him, and perhaps begin building a solid three person alliance." - Nicholas_

"So uhh... Jeff gave me a note which contained a clue to the hidden immunity idol. Want to see it?" asked Nicholas, reaching into his pocket to reveal the clue.

G-Money looked over at him, and smiled widely, "My boy Nick! That's how we do things! I'll gladly take a look at that!"

G-Money took the clue from Nicholas, and read it to himself before handing it back, "Even if it's not enough... that's a start, don't you think?"

Nicholas smiled, "Absolutely! See... I'm thinking we need to share this clue with Turnbull. I trust him way more than Big Gretch or Tamara. I think we would be a solid threesome."

" _Little Nicky's coming out strong, man. He knows this game, he's a fan... but then he makes this strange ass choice in... wanting to align with Turnbull? Excuse me? I, for one, have never trusted Turnbull. We may both be the devil, but man... that man seems as manipulative as me!" - G-Money_

G-Money placed his hands on his hips, "I don't know about that guy... don't you think Big Gretch's dumb ass would be easier to drag along?"

"I like Turnbull, though. He's a good guy, and I trust him. He's always had my back, as evidence by his move to save me and vote out Sherry," explained Nicholas, "Unlike Tamara who's always wanted me out for being a physical liability."

G-Money shook his head, "I don't know, man... Turnbull's a smart guy, and there's no telling what kind of bullshit he'll pu-" He suddenly stopped talking, thinking about it in his head, before grinning, "Oh yes... oh yes, baby! I think I'm onto something here!"

" _But guess what? I'm about the only dickhead here that sees Turnbull as a manipulative player! Everybody's amazed with that guy's Survivor knowledge, his 'ability' as a leader, whatever. And what's better? Turnbull's biggest mistake? Trusting me! Me! He don't know who he messing with!" - G-Money_

G-Money then placed his hands on Nicholas' shoulders rather roughly, "Listen up, Nicholas! Let's do it! Let's align with Turnbull! And leave everything to me... got it?"

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, but laughed it off, "Heh... okay, G-Money. I'm glad you're giving my plan a chance."

" _My goal is to make it to the merge... and hopefully slant the numbers in Prusol's favor. It seems like Sgt. Rex and Isabel on the other tribe are the outsiders. But this is Survivor. Things can just as easily flip on their heads! So I'm hoping one of them is still around at the merge, for my sake." - Nicholas_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Gretch, Dylan, and Tamara were talking about what may be going on in the game.

"Anyone wonder about what Nicholas learned about at last night's tribal council?" asked Dylan, "Two votes in.. and he says nothing too amazing happened?"

"I know. It rather strange indeed. Maybe Little Nick telling truth?" suggested Gretch.

" _I haven't had a chance to read it, but I'm pretty sure the note I received from Jeff Probst was a clue to the hidden immunity idol. That means Nicholas has one too. That also means, on top of that, he's going to tell G-Money. Guess what? I don't like what I'm seeing, so I need to put my foot down." - Dylan_

"You know, Tamara?" smirked Dylan, "Your idea that G-Money may be running the show... that might be coming true. Who knows what Nicholas is telling him, and not telling us?"

Tamara nodded her head, "Damn sure G-Money has his lips in Nicholas' ear. Can't trust that guy, man."

Dylan shrugged his shoulders, "You know what? The three of us could easily turn the game on it's head... and vote Nicholas out. What do you girls think about that?"

" _G-Money and Nicholas are a tight pair, and Nicholas is extremely likable. I can't have likable people in this game. It just doesn't win Survivor. Those people win, and that spits on the game of Survivor. It's absolutely horrible and corrupt that 'the social game' wins Survivor more than strategy." - Dylan_

Tamara shook her head, giving a shrug at the same time, "Turnbull, what the hell do you think my answer's going to be? I'll vote anybody's ass out as long as it ain't me, man."

"Well, if Turnbull suggested it, then Turnbull is usually right. Big Gretch will vote with Turnbull." agreed Gretch, nodding her head.

"Then it's settled," smiled Dylan, clapping his hands together, "No more questions then. Nicholas goes home at our next tribal council. Believe me, I will make sure of that. You're staying in this game, Tamara."

Tamara grinned, "I'll take your word for it, Turnbull." She then stood up, and walked over to shake Dylan's hand firmly.

" _Hmm. Don't understand what change Turnbull mind. Yesterday he ready to vote Tamara out. But today he want Little Nick out! Turnbull must have had bad dream. Bad dream that showed demise if Tamara voted out. Perhaps light is brighter for Prusol if Nicholas go home. I with him." - Gretch_

– – – – –

Legaias Day 14

Later the next day, it came time for the reward challenge. Everyone was putting on their day clothes, and grabbing their things to get set for the challenge.

However, Dustin was still asleep inside the shelter. Realistically, he had been sleeping since yesterday morning... kind of. He woke up in the middle of the day, and just stared at the shelter ceiling and spoke random gibberish. Not once did he realize the rooster on his head was missing.

Sgt. Rex walked over towards him, carrying the Legaias flag, and began to shout at him, "Wake up Steele! We got ourselves a challenge! There's no room to sleep in this game! Let's go! Move!"

Dustin wasn't startled by the yelling, and instead rolled over lazily with a big yawn, "Calm down man... like... just grab a chill pill..."

Suddenly, Dustin realized something was off... off his head, rather. He patted the top of his afro, and realized the rooster was missing, "Wuh... where's Egbert, man? Did he wander off or something...?"

Sgt. Rex grinned, "Let's just say he's off to a better place, son!" He was also chewing on a thin piece of chicken bone like he would a toothpick.

Dustin was able to, albeit slowly, connect the dots together, and soon his face crept into a somber grimace.

He then slumped out of the shelter, without saying another word, and got ready for the challenge himself. It was... rather odd coming from a character like Dustin.

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Prusol, getting your first look at the new Legaias tribe; Norma voted out at the last tribal council."

Nobody seemed that surprised at Norma's elimination, finding it pretty natural despite all the chaos that occurred at the Legaias tribe.

"Guys ready for today's reward challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"For today's challenge, two members of each tribe will carry a stretcher out into the river banks to rescue three other tribe members who are stranded alone. That person must lay on the stretcher, and must be carried back to the starting line. Once you returned that player, all three of you will race out to rescue the second person, and so on and so forth. The first tribe to rescue all three tribe members wins reward."

Jeff pulled the covers off to reveal various bath items, like shampoo, soap, conditioner, and more.

"Almost 14 days into Survivor The Australian Highlands... you guys smell! Seriously, it's no wonder nobody wants to sleep next to you! All jokes aside, win today's challenge, and you'll get just a little bit cleaner whenever you want. Let's get started."

Legaias

Carrying the stretcher: Isabel and Sgt. Rex

Being rescued: Mattie, Violet, and Bertie

Prusol

Carrying the stretcher: Gretch and Tamara

Being rescued: Nicholas, G-Money, and Dylan

"Survivors ready? GO!"

Both pairs raced out into the river banks ahead to go rescue their first tribe member. Legaias and Prusol both chose their lightest members to rescue first; Nicholas and Mattie.

However, being trained in the military, Isabel and Sgt. Rex were able to work together, and hustle through the ankle high waters to reach Mattie before Tamara and Gretch could reach Nicholas. Gretch was slowing Tamara down due to her big size, despite being physically strong. With Mattie on the stretcher, Sgt. Rex and Isabel raced back towards the starting line.

Just as Sgt. Rex and Isabel reached the starting line to check in Mattie, Gretch finally caught up with Tamara, and helped her get Nicholas onto the stretcher. Gretch was already worn out, but Tamara kept pushing her every step of the way.

Legaias was easily on a roll as Sgt. Rex, Isabel, and Mattie raced out to rescue Violet next. Gretch and Tamara slowly carried Nicholas through the ankle high waters back to the starting line.

Despite having Nicholas to help, Gretch was still required to race with her tribe in order to rescue tribe members. Tamara and Nicholas made some ground catching up to Legaias, but unfortunately they weren't able to rescue G-Money until Gretch caught up with them. While they waited for her, Sgt. Rex and Isabel hoisted Violet onto the stretcher to carry her back.

Legaias passed Gretch in the water as they raced back to the starting line. Her slowness began to irritate Tamara a little bit.

"C'mon Gretch! Are we gonna win or not!?" shouted Tamara.

Gretch panted, slowly making her way to where the rest of her tribe was waiting for her, "Ahh... ahh... me trying! But... but too hot out today... Big Gretch not so good in foot race..."

Finally as Gretch reached the rest of her tribe, Legaias crossed the starting line to check in Violet. All that was left for them was Bertie. At this point, due to Gretch's speed, Legaias had already won the challenge unofficially.

"You know... y'all could just quit not. Ain't like we're going anywhere with Big Gretch lagging behind." chuckled G-Money.

Tamara growled, looking back at him, "Shut the fuck up, G-Money. I'm not a quitter! I'm not going to let the rest of y'all be one too!"

With G-Money hoisted onto the stretcher, Tamara and Nicholas raced back to the starting line, while Gretch slugged behind them.

Of course, while this was taking place, the Legaias tribe had finally reached Bertie, and helped him onto the stretcher, making their way towards the goal to win the challenge.

Just as Tamara and Nicholas made it back with G-Money on their stretcher, the Legaias tribe was soon to follow them across, finishing the challenge.

"Not even a contest! LEGAIAS WINS REWARD!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered.

"Turns out most of your good luck comes from when you're going for your rewards! Now, if only you can transfer that same luck into your immunity challenge performances! Either way, this reward will help you clean up your act, and raise morale within the tribe. Clean up well guys! As for you, Prusol, got nothing for you. See you all tomorrow for the immunity challenge."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 14

Almost immediately upon returning to camp, Mattie grabbed most of the items from their reward basket, eager to get clean.

"Let's go guys! Today's activity? Bath time in the ocean!" giggled Mattie.

" _Survivor's a really fun game, but like... you don't really stay clean for long! Today's reward was probably the one I wanted the most! I want to be clean, I want to look cute, and most of all, I just want to have fun! You can't have fun if you're smelling like a muddy puppy! Seriously, no fun!" - Mattie_

Phillip chuckled, watching Mattie race down to the water, Violet following her the whole way. He then replied, "You heard the lady, time for a bath, guys."

"Well we won't ruin your fun and games. You kids get clean first, and then we'll take over when y'all are done." smiled Bertie, staying back at camp with Sgt. Rex and Dustin. Sgt. Rex was tending to the fire, while Dustin just moped in the shelter.

Phillip nodded his head, and along with Isabel they walked down to the ocean, where Mattie and Violet were already getting clean.

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "Good! They can take a bath.. and then get immediately dirty again tomorrow at the immunity challenge!"

" _This is Survivor! When is there any time to get clean? Take me, for instance! When I'm out at war, I don't take showers! I shower in the blood of my enemies!" (He lets out a fierce roar.) "That's what war does to you! It's no different here! You sleep, you eat, you win! That's the Rex Train way!" - Sgt. Rex_

Bertie shrugged his shoulders, "Let them do what they want. I mean, what they don't know won't hurt them, right?"

Sgt. Rex laughed a little bit, "Yeah... yeah I suppose you're right! That's why Isabel and I ate that damned rooster yesterday. Does the death of one's food really concern you?"

Dustin twitched in the background, still laying in the shelter.

Bertie shook his head, "Not really, no. Dustin's crazy, so you know what? I don't mind you doing that. But I do think you wasted food out of spite."

" _I could care less about Dustin's feelings for that rooster. You don't make pals with something that won't last the 39 day trip. But at the same time, Sgt. Rex did it all out of spite, and that's wasted food. I think what he did was selfish, but... I can't say Dustin didn't deserve that, because he did." - Bertie_

"Listen, Bertie, you need a solid, strong tribe," said Sgt. Rex, changing the subject, "Mattie, Violet, Dustin... they are not for the tribe! They only care about themselves! You and Phillip are making a mistake by enabling them! By allowing them to take control, you pretty much are handing them the keys to your car!"

"You don't think I don't know that? Personally, I think the next vote... if there is one for us... it has to be one of them." replied Bertie.

Sgt. Rex grinned, "Exactly! Sure, you made two moves against us... but guess what? Isabel and I are good for this tribe! We win challenges! Violet and Mattie don't win challenges! Do you need a reminder at why I'm called the Rex Train?" He then flexed out his muscles, and let out another mighty roar.

"One who brags too much about being strong should not have to brag if they truly are strong. Remember that, Rex." chuckled Bertie.

" _But you know what? Rex is right. We're down to seven people, and there ain't no way we're going to win challenges without him or Isabel watching over us. Mattie, Violet, and Dustin are the weakest links... including me, of course. I'm the oldest one out here. I have my own dilemma to avoid!" - Bertie_

Meanwhile, out in the water, Mattie, Violet, Phillip, and Isabel were relaxing in the calm waters of the Australian ocean, all clean after a good bath.

"Omigosh, I feel super cute again! I know it's not going to last for long, but it's nice to feel like myself again!" giggled Mattie, laying back and floating on her back in the water.

Phillip smiled at her, "You're probably used to being cute all the time, right? You dance for a living, right?"

"Yeah! Just a common dancer at parties! Not like the adult kind, though! Though I won't like, twerking can be pretty fun!" smiled Mattie, winking playfully.

" _I know that one of my strongest abilities in this game was going to be my social game, so why not flirt, why not be that cute girl that's fun to be around? I'm certainly the person that, like, people are going to want to approach! Nobody seems to respect Violet, so I have to be the good cop!" - Mattie_

Violet rolled her eyes, "Twerking? Seriously Mattie? This is 2041. Twerking died off in 2018 officially. After that, people were shamed online for doing it."

"Yeah well, like, I don't care if it's not a fad or not, I just wanna have fun, and like whatever I want! I'm not a hipster by any means! Haters gonna hate!" replied Mattie with a cute giggle.

"Trust me, I get that a lot," replied Phillip, "Haters don't like it when I say facts. They never liked it when Trevor Noah or Jon Stewart did it either. I guess I just inherited their haters."

" _Mattie's a cute girl, and she works that to her advantage. When you think about it, Mattie's playing the best game in our alliance. Nobody sees her as a threat, everybody loves her personality. But this is Survivor. And in Survivor history, likable players are as dangerous as the rats and snakes." - Phillip_

Isabel smiled at the others, keeping to herself, but staying close to listen to their stories and conversations, just to feel apart of the group.

" _As wild as some of these guys are, they're really normal people. They live their own lives, and... I feel welcomed by them. I'm definitely not the most talkative, but... I'm trying to come out of my shell. I don't want to be the scared little pup I was back when I was a little girl, being ignored by everyone." - Isabel_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 14

During a walk to collect tree mail for tomorrow's challenge, Dylan and G-Money were talking about the game, and about a few new details.

"So get this; Nicholas has a clue to the hidden immunity idol," explained G-Money, "Got it from attending that tribal council a few nights back."

"Oh? Did he now... I wouldn't have noticed." replied Dylan, trying be ignorant, but failing at the same time.

"Oh bullshit, you know what he had, because you had to of gotten one yourself, man." replied G-Money, grinning at him.

" _I need to pull in Turnbull into this little cluster I'm building. Sure, I don't trust his ass, but I rather work with the devil, than work against the devil. Especially when I'm a better devil. Besides, Turnbull trusts me the most, from what it seems. Betcha I can exploit the shit out of that!" - G-Money_

Dylan chuckled, "You got me there. So what do you want from me? An alliance? Information? Because let me tell you, I can only give so much."

"It's simple, man, just agree to this trio I came up with," explained G-Money, "Myself, Nicky, and you. Can't be too hard, eh, Turnbull? We share our idol clues, and all is good, man."

"Can't argue with your logic. I think you make a lot of good points... but it's still a big decision." replied Dylan, crossing his arms.

" _I'll make as many deals as I like. G-Money wants to share clues to the idol with me? Fine, I'll take them, and work from there. Tamara and Big Gretch want to blindside Nicholas? Fine by me. I have both sides eating from the palm of my hands. It's just so perfect when you play my game." - Dylan_

Dylan smirked, "The old saying goes, G-Money, show me yours, I'll show you mine."

G-Money laughed, "Hah! Wish I could! Nick has the damn clue, if you have to know. But... I suppose I'll tell you what I know, man."

Dylan nodded his head, and listened to what G-Money remembered about the clue.

" _Man, I really want Turnbull to get that immunity idol now. Think about it? If I know he has it... then I own him. I own his life. I'll have my finger over his on-off switch. As long as that dumbass trusts me, then I can do with him whatever I want. This shit used to be my day job, man, it's simple!" - G-Money_

"I appreciate the honesty, G-Money," smiled Dylan, reaching over to shake his hand, before pulling his own clue out of his pocket to share with him in return, "Here's my end of the bargain. After that, let's get Tamara's ass out of here. She's done."

"Beautiful words have never been spoken before." grinned G-Money, smiling from ear to ear as he read the clue.

" _Nobody likes G-Money. The air around him is polluted with his stench. He acts like an arrogant asshole, feels like the most entitled person in the world, and worst of all, his ego. Holy shit, that man's ego is horrible. When I take him to Day 39, I can't wait to watch that ego of his drain out!" - Dylan_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Tamara was pacing around the camp fire with Gretch laid down in the shelter.

Tamara looked really paranoid, "Damn it... what's taking them so long?"

Gretch turned her head over to look at her, "What matter Tamara?"

"G-Money dragged Turnbull out for another talk. He said it was for tree mail, but getting tree mail does not take over twenty minutes. That ass is out there manipulating Turnbull. I just know it." replied Tamara.

" _Turnbull's a smart guy, yet he falls victim to the same tricks I've seen for many years! G-Money is a rat in plain view, and I am just floored Turnbull can't see that! So until I survive one more tribal council, anything anyone tells me I'm just not gonna believe it. Something needs to change." - Tamara_

"Turnbull smart man. He may be bull. But bull smart sometime." replied Gretch, feeling confident.

"And yet he still believed whatever bullshit he was sold!" snapped Tamara, frustrated, "If Nick doesn't get voted off at our next tribal council, you know G-Money got what he wanted again. Know that, Big Gretch, if you can."

"Could go walk in on them. Maybe if G-Money flustered you know something up?" suggested Gretch.

"Nah... I'm just going to keep my mouth near Turnbull's ear," said Tamara, shaking her head, "So long as I get the last word in, Turnbull will probably vote our way. I just hope G-Money doesn't get his way again, damn it!"

" _Ever since Sherry got voted off, I've been trying to find cracks, trying to stay alive in this game! But no matter what I try, my ass finds itself back on the cutting block! Tch... man I really need a swap, or a mutiny to happen. After today's performance... the hell are we going to win two more times?" - Tamara_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's immunity challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back immunity from you once again, Prusol."

Dylan did so.

"For today's challenge, it's rather simple; it's a maze. Inside this maze, four players will enter and attempt to find four medallions scattered at different corners of the maze. One player will also be in charge of carrying the tribe flag. The first tribe to make it out of the maze with four medallions, the flag, and all four racers wins immunity, safe from the vote. Losers head to tribal council to vote yet another player out of Australia. Let's get started."

Prusol immediately agreed to sit out Gretch, knowing she would be a liability in this challenge. So Dylan, G-Money, Nicholas, and Tamara would be running for Prusol, and as for Legaias, they chose Isabel, Mattie, Phillip, and Sgt. Rex.

"Survivors ready? GO!"

All eight players raced into the maze, and split off into two different directions to begin searching for the medallions. For Prusol, Tamara held the flag, while G-Money kept ahead of the group to scout out routes. Dylan acted as the leader of the tribe, giving commands and orders as the tribe raced through the maze. Eventually they ran into their first medallion.

For Legaias, Sgt. Rex, as expected, was leading and carrying the flag. Nobody was running ahead of the tribe to scout out routes, and Isabel, Mattie, and Phillip raced behind Sgt. Rex as they went around... in seemless circles around the maze, not finding anything right away. It took them some time before they found their first medallion.

Despite Sgt. Rex lacking sense of direction, Legaias was able to pick up the pace thanks to Mattie and Phillip encouraging the tribe to work together and move faster. At near the same time, both Legaias and Prusol found their second medallions each.

"Come on guys! This is ours to win!" shouted Mattie.

"We can't lose after all this time, damn it!" yelled Tamara.

G-Money running ahead turned out to be a great idea for Prusol, as G-Money was able to map out what he called an 'escape route' to the exit of the maze. He was really impressing his tribe with his ability to remember where they've been, and where they haven't been.

Combined with Dylan's leadership, Prusol was able to locate their third medallion! But just behind them was Legaias. Legaias was getting their heads back in the game with Sgt. Rex's leadership, Isabel's direction, and Mattie and Phillip's encouragement. Both tribes had three medallions and only needed one more!

Now it would all come down to the final medallion. Both Dylan and Sgt. Rex were hustling their tribes to finish the challenge strong. Tamara, Nicholas, Mattie, and Phillip were the tribe cheerleaders, working well in sync with their tribes in order to win the challenge. G-Money and Isabel were helping keep track of where their tribes have been.

However... one tribe managed to get lost after running into a post where they've already collected a medallion... and one tribe found their last medallion.

…

…

…

…

...and it was Prusol. With a wrong turn thanks to Isabel, Legaias came across a medallion post they already came by, resulting in them needing to back track.

"Down the path and three right turns, we'll be out! Let's go boys!" shouted G-Money, hooting and hollering.

Thanks to G-Money's 'escape route', the Prusol tribe was easily able to escape the maze with all four medallions and the flag.

"And it's over! PRUSOL WINS IMMUNITY FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT TIME!"

All of Prusol hugged and cheered.

"Now that's how you finish a challenge! It was down to the very last second, but thanks to Turnbull's great leadership, G-Money's plan, and hustling by Tamara and Nicholas, it all worked out! Great job guys, once again, nobody's going home after 15 days. However, you do need to select someone to sit in at Legaias' tribal council. Turnbull and Nicholas already went, so who's it gonna be this time?"

Another short discussion was met amongst the five members of Prusol. After a short discussion, a decision was made.

Tamara raised her hand, "G-Money and Big Gretch are too chicken to do this. I'm taking a trip today, Jeff!"

"Sounds like a plan. Tamara, you will be heading to tribal council tonight to listen in on Legaias, where they voting out yet another member. Legaias, tonight is your third straight tribal council, as well as the fifth straight tribal council for you, Dustin. Tonight, we'll find out who the fifth person voted out is going to be. See you all then."

– – – – –

Legaias Day 15

With yet another tribal council nearing down the path for the Legaias tribe, things couldn't have gotten worse for the once dominant tribe.

Inside the shelter, Bertie, Phillip, and Dustin were laying down, discussing the vote, and what was best for the game.

But before that happened, Phillip looked over at Dustin, "Are... you okay, man? You really haven't left the shelter outside of challenges..."

Dustin shrugged, saying nothing still.

"He's just upset the rooster's gone. He'll get over it," muttered Bertie, "Not the most important thing in the world to think about."

" _Dustin's been acting weird, and I want to vote him out... but fact is we are not winning anything. After that talk with Sgt. Rex the other day, I think it's come time to put aside alliances, and vote for the good of the tribe. Personally, I believe the weakest link is Mattie. She needs to go home tonight." - Bertie_

"What are you thinking about doing tonight? Rex goes home? Or?" asked Phillip, looking between both Dustin and Bertie.

Dustin nodded his head quietly. However, Bertie shook his head, "I think it's time we think about the tribe. Not our games. I don't want to go to tribal council a fourth time. Voting off Simon was the mistake we made. We can rectify that, by writing Mattie's name down."

"Mattie... I've been thinking about her, recently," replied Phillip, "She's a sweet girl, but she's super likable. If we become the minority at the merge, Mattie's going to make it far since she's so sweet and easygoing. The rest of us though? Sitting targets."

" _Bertie's right. I think it's time to mix things up, and change the tone of the Legaias camp. Violet and Mattie are running the show, and as long as Bertie and I keep Dustin out of their reach... we really hold the power. As much as I like her, I think it's best if we send Mattie home tonight." - Phillip_

"Rex needs to go." muttered Dustin quietly; the first words he's spoken since yesterday morning.

"Tell you what, Dustin," sighed Bertie, "Vote Mattie out tonight, Rex goes home next time. Deal?"

Phillip nodded his head, "Yeah, the next vote after tonight is the last pre merge one, if this season shapes up like any other 16 person season."

Dustin rolled his eyes a little bit, rolling over to face away from them.

"Do we have the votes to pull this off, Phil?" asked Bertie, curiously.

Phillip shrugged his shoulders, "Honestly... Violet and Mattie, and Sgt. Rex and Isabel will never vote together as a four person group. Our three votes make the choice tonight."

" _Now that I think about it, Tamara's coming to tribal council tonight. So I'm going to try and show her that she can feel welcome within our tribe. Based on my last visit to Prusol, she was on the outside of her tribe. Assuming she's still on the bottom... tonight could be a chance to make an ally." - Phillip_

Meanwhile, down by the water well, Violet and Mattie were talking about the vote, and how excited they were about it.

"Mattie, I hope you're excited, because tonight's the last night we'll ever have to see that motherfucker sergeant ever again!" grinned Violet, doing a little dance.

Mattie giggled, dancing along with her, "Omigosh, yeah! I can't wait! Rex has been saved for way too long! Tonight is the night!"

" _Simon and Norma signed their own death warrants. They were pawns, and their mistake was working with that annoying military guy. Rex's turn is tonight, and I've been waiting to write his name down for 15 days. Nothing can possibly spoil this brilliant night tonight! Nada, zilch, nope! It's done!" - Violet_

Violet smiled at her, "Isabel better appreciate what we're doing for her. Maybe she'll come out of her shell with that moron gone!"

"Maybe... oh! Hi Dustin!" smiled Mattie, waving at Dustin, who appeared to be slowly coming towards them from behind Violet.

"The guys are voting Mattie tonight." muttered Dustin, quietly.

Both Violet and Mattie raised their eyebrows, and looked at eachother. They thought he was just joking like he normally did.

"...come again?" asked Violet, crossing her arms.

"The guys are voting off Mattie tonight. Do you need your fucking ears cleaned or something?" replied Dustin in an irritable manner, but still quietly.

Both Violet and Mattie were caught off guard by Dustin's sudden mood swing, let alone the notion that Bertie and Phillip were turning against them.

" _Okay... what the heck is going on here?! Dustin's really changed ever since Egbert got eaten... but that's besides the point! Like, he revealed that Phillip and Bertie are voting me out tonight! Why, though? What did I do wrong to suddenly cause them to wanna vote me out tonight?" - Mattie_

Violet threw her arms up in the air, "Okay... fuck it. That's just great. That's exactly the news I wanted to hear, Dustin. And here I was ready to vote Rex out tonight!"

"Which we can still do, by the way." replied Dustin, quietly. Nobody heard him.

"What do you want to do, then? Vote one of them out?" asked Mattie, looking at Violet curiously.

Violet smirked, "You know what? What's the worst thing that can happen? We vote one of them off, and we threaten the one who stays, saying that if they don't vote with us, they risk pulling a purple rock."

" _Of course, of fucking course Phillip and Bertie want to pull a fast one on us. I never trusted Phillip from Day 1, and Bertie was just along for the ride given his old age. Personally, if they want Mattie out for being a weak girl, I'd say let's vote Bertie out for being a weak man! See how they like it." - Violet_

"Well... personally, I like Phillip more because he's handsome. Soooo... vote Uncle Bertie tonight?" suggested Mattie.

"That's what I had in mind. Our three votes seal the deal against him. Sgt. Rex and Isabel will probably vote Dustin anyway, so they don't matter." shrugged Violet.

Dustin perked up when Violet said that. Despite his interest in what she said, he himself said nothing of the matter.

"I suppose that's that then!" replied Mattie, "I'm going to go get ready for tonight! See you later!"

Both Mattie and Violet left the water well area, leaving Dustin all by himself.

" _I don't really give a shit anymore. The stuff I smuggled is almost gone... nobody gives a shit about what I think, or what I want... and the worst part? My best friend was eaten. You can't know how that feels to a man. Rex should be voted off for that alone. But... nobody cares about me, man." - Dustin_

Dustin walked over to the water well, and stared into his reflection in the water. He sighed to himself a little bit, "What I see is an incomplete man... an absolute zero. I'm nobody's hero..."

Dustin then closed his eyes, and then backed away from the water well. He then nodded his head, thinking to himself, before walking back to camp.

" _When I do tarot card readings... the card of a dead chicken usually means a dark omen. An omen of death. Legaias has been cursed for what Rex chose to do. What that punishment is... I can't say for myself. Not sure that I want any part in that, man, so I'm going to write my own fate tonight." - Dustin_

Meanwhile, hours before tribal council, Sgt. Rex and Isabel were sorting through their things, and thinking about what the vote holds in store for them.

"Has anyone told you anything?" asked Isabel, looking up at him.

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "Nope! Not a damn thing! Guess tonight's the night, huh? The ol' Rex Train is about to puff into the station one last time, eh?"

" _The Rex Train never stops for anyone! It keeps on going and going until it reaches it's destination! That is until the driver puts on the brakes. Even I have my limits, and based on what's been going on the last few days? All signs point to my name being written down five times, if I'm correct!" - Sgt. Rex_

"Maybe we'll get a lucky break tonight. You never know what could happen, Rex." reassured Isabel, standing up with her bag in hand.

Sgt. Rex chortled a little bit, "If I stay tonight, I'm some lucky bastard to avoid a point blank shot! I've only been lucky on the battlefield being chipped in the shoulder now and then!"

"If you're lucky, then tonight's going to be that night. Otherwise... I'll fight like you would have." replied Isabel, calmly.

" _All signs appear to be pointing towards Rex going home tonight. But hopefully... someone thinks about the tribe before the game, and chooses to vote Violet or Dustin out tonight. Maybe even Mattie. Nobody's approached us, so... I'm just assuming the former is going to happen, sadly." - Isabel_

– – – – –

The Legaias tribe arrived at tribal council.

"We'll now bring in Tamara, coming in from the Prusol tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Tamara walked in without saying a word, or waving a hello at the Legaias tribe. However, her face showed signs of interest despite that.

"I gotta say, three straight tribal councils after having such a fantastic first six days has got to be a big downer for the Legaias tribe. Sgt. Rex, take me through your emotions right now? Are you feeling upset, angry, frustrated?" asked Jeff.

"I'm feeling defeated! I feel like I've reached my peak! Nobody's said a word to me about the vote tonight. So I take that as a sign that, yeah, I'm going home tonight. I told you, Jeff, the Rex Train would only stop it's rampage when you snuff my torch! That may be tonight!" replied Sgt. Rex.

"Isabel, how about you? You seem to be a close ally of Sgt. Rex's, so what are you thoughts? Is he right to be concerned?" asked Jeff.

Isabel nodded her head.

"Absolutely, in this game, if nobody wants to even talk to you about the game, or strategize... you can just assume that means you're on the cutting block. Rex has made a few enemies, so... it's easy to assume why he would feel the way he feels." replied Isabel.

"An understatement." muttered Violet, under her breath.

"Violet, you seem to have a reaction to what Isabel just said there. What do you think about that?" asked Jeff.

"Isabel's been quiet since Day 1. She refuses to make buddy buddy with anyone here. She hooked up with Rex and Simon early on in the game... and that's all she hung out with. Well guess what, when Dustin mutinied, the game fell into my lap." replied Violet.

Isabel sighed a little bit.

"Jeff, I try to fit in with the rest of the tribe. I'm not a very open person, and... this is just a whole new experience for me, that I wanted to challenge myself on." explained Isabel.

"You're not doing a very good job at it, but whatever." shrugged Violet.

Bertie and Rex rolled their eyes a little bit at Violet's attitude.

"Dustin, certainly this has become a crazy tribe ever since you joined the fray. Where do you think you stand with this group after 9 days of living with them?" asked Jeff.

Dustin sighed a little bit, not responding to Jeff.

"He's been like this all day, Jeff. Refuses to talk, just mopes around all day. All because Rex over there murdered a rooster he befriended. Guess what, that's just life. You move on, you live, you forget." explained Bertie.

Dustin rolled his eyes a little bit, but said nothing of value.

"Mattie, it's certainly odd when probably the most joyful, happy-go-lucky player we've ever had on this show just becomes depressed. Have things really gotten that bad over here?" asked Jeff.

Mattie nodded her head.

"Absolutely, like, paranoia's on an all time high now. Like, I don't know who I can trust anymore. People are starting to wonder if they're in the right alliance or not. So like... yeah, it's definitely gotten bad. I just hope that tonight opens a new chapter for my tribe!" replied Mattie.

Phillip looked a little surprised at her comment, wondering if he and Bertie had been caught or not.

"Phillip, any last words before we vote tonight?" asked Jeff.

Phillip sat there without a response, thinking about it in his head. Then he just clapped his hands before speaking.

"I'm struggling to find the answer, Jeff. It's a tough night... and I'm not even sure if this is the right move or not... but I'm going to be a player before a coward. Let's do it." replied Phillip.

"Okay, with that said, it's time to vote, Isabel, you're up."

– – –

Dustin's Vote: "I don't want any part of this omen of death, thank you very much." (?)

Phillip's Vote: "Sorry, I think you're a sweet girl, but it's time to change things up." (Mattie)

Sgt. Rex's Vote: "Maybe I'll strike lucky gold tonight! Hahaha! Fingers crossed!" (?)

Violet's Vote: "Suck it up, old man. You're only here because you got lucky." (Bertie)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Mattie. (She nodded her head, already aware of the plan.)

…

Mattie. Two votes Mattie.

…

…

Bertie. One vote Bertie, two votes Mattie. (Bertie muttered out a "Damn.", while Phillip shook his head in disappointment. Sgt. Rex and Isabel looked shocked.)

…

Bertie. Tied two votes Bertie, two votes Mattie.

…

…

…

…

Dustin. One vote Dustin, two votes Bertie, two votes Mattie. (Sgt. Rex chuckled a little bit, "You crazy kids...")

…

Dustin. We're tied, two votes Dustin, two votes Bertie, two votes Mattie, one vote left. (Mattie and Bertie's hearts were beating a mile a minute. Dustin merely smiled lightly.)

Fifth person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands...

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

...is Dustin. That's three, that's enough, you need to bring me your torch.

Violet, Mattie, and Phillip's mouths dropped in shock. Violet and Mattie looked at eachother in confusion, as did Sgt. Rex and Isabel. Bertie just shook his head, trying to process all that just happened. Meanwhile, Dustin looked thrilled, he collected his things, and brought his torch up to Jeff.

"Dustin, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out his torch.

"Time for you to go."

Dustin turned back to face the others, "May the dark omen be not as bad, my dudes... fare thee well." Leaving the others in confusion over what he meant, he left the tribal council area. On the jury side, Tamara was just grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow. That's all I have to say for this tribal council. The amount of 'Wow' across all of your faces says a lot, and maybe it's a sign that something needs to desperately change for Legaias to succeed past... whatever dark omen Dustin was babbling about. For now, we have to move on over to the mutiny decision."

Everyone nodded their heads. Phillip, meanwhile, was thinking about a few things.

"Both Bertie and Mattie received the second most votes tonight, so tonight... both of you now have the opportunity to, mutiny from the Legaias tribe, and join the Prusol tribe."

Both Bertie and Mattie nodded their heads, already having the answer in mind, although they were still reeling in shock and confusion regarding the vote.

"You will be marked as Traitors, and there would be many disadvantages and advantages to becoming a Traitor. But you will only find out if you mutiny. So what is your decision?"

Before Bertie or Mattie could find the words to make their decision, Phillip raised his hand first.

"Jeff... may I say something?" asked Phillip.

Jeff shrugged his shoulders, "Make it quick, then."

Phillip cleared his throat, "Well... whatever the hell happened tonight opened my eyes. Like I said before we voted, I didn't want to be a coward, and go back on the decision that I made. But... it was the wrong decision. Mattie, I hated writing your name down, and... I should have given it more thought before I just did it."

Mattie smiled at him, "It's alright, Phillip... it's just a game, after all."

"I bring that up, because we're not going to beat Prusol being at eachother's throats. Tonight's vote was so split, that there's just no way we're prepared for a merge. Nothing can tell what would happen if we merge, and we're not united together." continued Phillip.

Everyone continued to listen, and Jeff didn't stop him after originally telling him to make it quick.

"Tamara's sitting over there, and when I was at the last tribal council for Prusol, it was clear she was on the outside of her tribe. That bald woman was voted out, forgot her name, and she seemed the most shocked." explained Phillip.

Tamara nodded her head, leaning in as she was interested to see where this was going.

"So this is what I suggest," said Phillip, reaching into his pocket, "Bertie, Mattie... you two should become traitors on purpose. This is part of a plan that... if I had to put a name to it, I would call it 'Project Kamikaze'."

Both Bertie and Mattie were surprised at Phillip's suggestion, while Violet rolled her eyes, wondering what Phillip was trying to do. Sgt. Rex and Isabel kept their mouths shut, wondering where he was going with this.

Phillip then pulled out his hidden immunity idol, "I found this idol five days ago... and admittedly, I was going to be selfish, and keep it to myself. But this just sounds like a much better way of setting ourselves up at the merge. If you guys betray Legaias, and join Prusol... I'll give you my idol to take out one of their strong players."

Tamara could hardly hold in her excitement at this plan, smiling from ear to ear, muttering to herself, "This day just keeps getting better and better, man..."

Immediately Violet shook her head, "Hell no, Mattie! That's a trap. If you do this, guess what? I'm in danger of going home, because we're giving all the power we once had... and giving it all to Rex!"

Phillip smiled, "Which is why if they purposely throw the immunity challenge, you won't have to worry about it."

"Yeah... yeah, he's right, Violet," smiled Mattie, "This sounds like a fun idea! It'd be fun to be a spy in the game of Survivor. We could be like Totally Spies!"

"First of all, disgusting," muttered Violet, "Second of all, you're buying his bullshit? Phillip is playing the game, Mattie! He's splitting us up on purpose!"

"But isn't he also splitting himself and Bertie up? You and him would be both alone. It's a fair deal!" replied Mattie.

Violet rolled her eyes, "But Rex and Isabel hate me! Don't you get it, Mattie? This is all a ploy to take away all of my power!"

"...while also taking away all of my power. After all, I will be idol-less." replied Phillip, getting a little annoyed.

"It's okay, Violet, trust me, we're going to lose that challenge on purpose, and you won't have to worry about going home!" smiled Mattie, trying to reassure her friend.

"Yeah, whatever..." muttered Violet, looking away in frustration. This made Mattie sigh a little bit.

"...alright then, what a plan you have indeed, Phillip. But remember, it only works if Bertie and Mattie choose to mutiny. I'll start with you, Bertie. Would you like to betray Legaias, and join Prusol?"

Bertie sighed a little bit, keeping his feelings unknown until it was time to reveal his decision.

…

…

…

…

…

"You know what, Jeff? Phillip makes a pretty damn good offer. What do I, an old geezer, have to lose by becoming a Traitor? I'll do it!" chuckled Bertie, standing up.

"Very well, Bertie has decided to mutiny to the Prusol tribe, and become a Traitor. Mattie, what about you? Would you like to betray your tribe, and join Prusol?"

Mattie looked over at Violet, who looked away from her still, annoyed at her instance that this is a good idea.

…

…

…

…

…

"Violet, I'm really sorry, but I think Phillip has a great idea! Just think about it... we can take out one of their strong men.. and we'll have numbers going into the merge!" smiled Mattie, standing up.

"Shut up, would you?" muttered Violet.

"Then it's been decided. Both Bertie and Mattie will take up the offer, and become voluntary traitors of the Legaias tribe. This leaves the original Legaias tribe down to only four members; Sgt. Rex, Phillip, Isabel, and Violet. The four of you can grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Legaias tribe soon left the tribal council area. Before Phillip left, he handed his idol over to Bertie as he promised, shaking his hand before leaving with the rest of the tribe.

Jeff then turned to Tamara, who was still happy as a clam, tossing her a rolled up note, "As for you, Tamara, because you were chosen to represent Prusol tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I'm sure you know what it is."

Tamara chuckled, taking the note and rolling it up to place in her pocket. Jeff then tossed two purple Prusol buffs over to Mattie and Bertie, replacing their old buffs.

"There will be two boxes waiting for both of you at tree mail. This will explain more about becoming a 'Traitor' in the game of Survivor. Phillip's plan may work, or it may backfire. Only time will tell if this is the right move for the Legaias tribe. Especially if it's the right move for your individual games. The three of you can take your torches, and head on back to camp. Good night."

Both Mattie and Bertie nodded their heads. Then the two of them shared a warm hug, saying their apologies for writing eachothers names down before leaving with Tamara to the Prusol camp.

– – – – –

 **Dustin's Final Words**

"I came out here wanting to have fun, man. Prusol never liked me... and I thought Legaias would like me... but truth is, after Egbert passed away, nobody truly gave a shit about me. Death of a chicken is a bad omen, so I had to vote myself out of the game to escape whatever punishment the spirits give."

VOTE

Bertie – Mattie and Violet

Dustin – Isabel, Dustin, and Sgt. Rex

Mattie – Bertie and Phillip

 _ **Final Thoughts on Dustin Steele:**_ Yes, before you say anything, in THIS SERIES of Survivor, people are allowed to vote for themselves if they want. It's just never been done because nobody has WANTED to vote themselves out of the game. Dustin was such a weird, strange character... so how fitting of a character like him to have a just as strange elimination from the game, huh?

As explained in the episode, Dustin smuggled weed onto the show to keep himself happy and motivated. It would only get him to the merge, however. As people pointed out, they wondered how the hell he was still high... well, now you know. And this episode touched on what Dustin would be like without the weed... and yeah, he's still a crazy man. He just loses his relaxing side.

I wanted to keep Dustin for a long time... but at the end of the day, I felt like Dustin would have gotten tiring by the merge, so cutting him pre merge was a hard decision, but it had to be done. I am glad, however, that people enjoyed his character, since he scored high on the polls. Maybe we'll see this guy again, maybe we won't. Think of it like a Sans situation. It's totally up in the air for this guy!

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	7. Episode 6 Ultimate Test Of Trust

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _All by themselves, Sgt. Rex and Isabel had nowhere left to run. With their games on the line, Sgt. Rex decided everything was fair game. When Dustin went to sleep, Sgt. Rex took his chicken friend away from him, and with Isabel had a good chicken breakfast. When Dustin heard the news, he was anything but happy and became depressed._

 _Over at the Prusol tribe, G-Money and Nicholas talked about the clue Nicholas got at the last tribal council. Nicholas decided to set up a new alliance between him, G-Money, and Dylan. While G-Money was originally against it, the idea of keeping Dylan close was something he liked. Meanwhile, Dylan suspected the worst, and decided to work with the two ladies to potentially blindside Nicholas._

 _At the reward challenge, Gretch's slowness cost Prusol any chance of winning bathroom supplies, and Legaias managed to win the challenge without any trouble._

 _Back at camp, the Legaias tribe savored in their victory, getting clean for the first time in 14 days. While Dustin moped in the shelter, Sgt. Rex tried to sway Bertie onto his side to turn against the power couple of Violet and Mattie. While Bertie certainly was interested, so was Phillip. Phillip started to see how strong of a social threat Mattie was, and thought about making a big move._

 _Back over on Prusol, G-Money pulled Dylan to the side to discuss the alliance with Nicholas. He also shared his clue with him in order to gain his trust. In secret, G-Money wanted Dylan to get the hidden immunity idol, hoping to have his number to use against him at some point in the merge. Dylan was suddenly interested in this alliance, choosing to work with the boys over the girls. Back at camp, Tamara was concerned that G-Money was, once again, going to sway Dylan onto his side. At this point, Tamara had nobody left to trust._

 _At the immunity challenge, it came down to the last second, but Prusol managed to pull it out first, winning immunity for the third straight time. Tamara was then selected to attend Legaias' tribal council._

 _Before tribal council, Bertie and Phillip agreed to voting Mattie out instead of Sgt. Rex, seeing her as a weak link and a social threat. Dustin was not happy about this decision, as he wanted Sgt. Rex out for killing his friend. So, in an attempt to get what he wants, he leaked the information to Mattie and Violet, angering Violet over this betrayal. The two girls decided to then target Bertie for being a weak link in his own right. With nobody listening to him, Dustin warned of a dark omen due to the death of a chicken._

 _At tribal council, there were multiple shockers hitting the tribe members. For Sgt. Rex and Isabel, they were caught off guard by the fact that neither of them had their names written down. For the rest of the tribe, they were shocked when their plans fell flat when Dustin made a Survivor first by voting himself out of the game, leaving the game with a special idol in hand._

 _But before the calm could come, more shockers came when Phillip came up with yet another plan. Phillip wanted the tribe to be together once the merge hit, and he feared that this vote splintered them further apart. By suggesting Bertie and Mattie would become voluntary traitors and go to Prusol, throw a challenge, and use Phillip's idol to take out one of their stronger players with Tamara's help._

 _This plan irritated Violet, and irritated her further when Mattie agreed to it. With Bertie also agreeing to it, the Legaias tribe suddenly found themselves at four player, Violet on the outside and pissed off, and an unsuspecting Prusol tribe ready for a surprise. 11 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Isabel, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Bertie, Dylan, G-Money, Gretch, Mattie, Nicholas, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Legaias Day 16

The four members of Legaias returned back to camp with so many questions over answers. Not only did a split vote happen, but Dustin was voted out, and then Phillip's plan sprung into action, and now Legaias was down to just four members.

"What... what the hell even happened last night! I blink my eyes... and there's three less people than before! And not one of them being yours truly!" asked Sgt. Rex, looking the most confused over anyone there.

" _Last night was probably the best night yet for the Rex Train! All the bullets were aimed right at me! Suddenly? BAM! BOOM! They landed in Dustin's ugly mug! See ya later, druggie! The game is over for you, and the Rex Train is here to continue chugging on ahead! RUUHHHWARRRRR!" - Sgt. Rex_

Violet threw her torch against the shelter wall, clearly bitter over last night's vote, "Phillip did it to fuck me over. That's why you're here."

Phillip shook his head, "No, no, that's not why I did that. I made a strategic move in order to weaken the opponent. That's all I did."

Violet shook her head, "You know what you did. You isolated me away from my closest ally. You used Mattie because she was a fan of yours back home. She owed you nothing. Especially after you wrote her fucking name down."

" _Last night pissed me off so much. Mattie's on the other tribe, and I'm all alone because of some fucking Hollywood elite. He wrote Mattie's name down, intending to vote her out... somehow Dustin gets eliminated, and then he talks her into becoming a traitor... for no fucking reason!" - Violet_

Phillip sighed, "I'll admit, it was a dodgy move... but I know Mattie doesn't take it seriously, because it's all just a game, Violet. She wanted to be a part of a big move. Can you blame her?"

"No, Phillip, I can only blame myself, because if we lose the challenge, I'm totally going home, and you fucking know that." muttered Violet.

"Hey, I'm alone just as much as you are, Violet," reminded Phillip, "Rex and Isabel can choose which one of us goes home, and besides, Bertie and Mattie are going to throw the challenge for us. You're guaranteed a spot at the merge!"

"Shut up, Phillip. You know those two hate me, and respect you. They will never keep me over you, and you know that, so stop giving me the benefit of the doubt." grumbled Violet.

" _As soon as we get back to camp, Violet just unleashes into a siege of negativity and hatred against me, all because I split her and Mattie apart. The world shouldn't revolve around a young woman who's supposedly educated. She's only digging her own grave at this point, so... let her scream." - Phillip_

Violet gave everybody the finger, and went to lay down in the shelter just to mope about. Sgt. Rex, Isabel, and Phillip ignored her gesture, and just sat around the camp fire.

"What a spoiled brat!" grumbled Sgt. Rex, "If she were my daughter, she'd be punished severely! Phone, gone! Boyfriend, gone! Internet, gone! Social life, gone! I don't put up with that crap!"

"You would think she would respect a move like that... but I suppose it shows that she was alright with everything until things don't go her way." replied Isabel, softly.

Phillip shook his head, "I don't know why she's mad in the first place. She's safe! Bertie and Mattie are going to throw the immunity challenge, and take out one of their strong guys. Hopefully it's uh... Gretchen? I think her name is?"

"Tamara hopefully knows what she's doing, if what you said was true, Phillip." replied Isabel.

Sgt. Rex threw some sticks into the fire, dusting his hands off, "Whatever! Just tell me to knock down a few walls, Phillip, that's all I ask of you!"

Phillip chuckled a little bit, nodding his head, and shaking the hands of both Isabel and Sgt. Rex.

" _I'm really grateful for... whatever happened last night. Odd... because nobody mentioned how or why Dustin got voted off. Nobody stood up and said that they changed their vote at the last moment. I wonder if... no... no Dustin wouldn't have done that, would he? Was he really that depressed?" - Isabel_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 16

Tamara, Bertie, and Mattie were walking back to camp after one of the craziest tribal councils of all time. Mattie had a giddy look on her face the whole way back to camp.

"This is just so exciting!" giggled Mattie, like a schoolgirl, "It's almost like we're on a secret mission! I'm glad I get to be a part of this!"

Bertie chuckled a little bit, "Indeed so, but remember, we're not here to have fun. We have a job to do."

"Damn right you are!" grinned Tamara, "And you two couldn't have come in at a more perfect time when I needed it most."

" _Oh my God... last night... it was almost as if a magical being came down from the heavens above and said, 'You know what, Tamara? We're done messing with you.'. Dustin's ass is gone, and I'm no longer on the bottom! These traitors came with a plan, and I'm living for this plan! I can't wait!" - Tamara_

"This is going to look super sketchy..." sighed Bertie, "But I guess we ain't got a choice. What are you gonna tell the others, Tamara?"

Tamara shrugged, "Leave that part to me, alright? They're already gonna be super suspicious, as you said. But I ain't worried about that. All I gotta do, is act uninvolved."

Bertie nodded his head, "Very well. I have the idol from Phillip, so keep us informed, and we'll take out one of their strong players. We good on that?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely!" laughed Tamara, shaking hands with both Bertie and Mattie before leaving them by themselves, and running off back to camp.

" _Becoming a traitor may sound like a bad thing... but when you think about it, it's a chance for me to get my footing in this game. I'm the oldest geezer out here, and my game face is on. If Mattie and I can pull this off, flawlessly... that's something we can use to our advantage later on in the game." - Bertie_

Bertie and Mattie made their way towards tree mail to collect their 'prizes' for becoming traitors in the game of Survivor.

Both were given a small box each, and both players decided to open them together.

"Alright, let me read out loud," said Bertie, clearing his throat, "'You are now classified as a Traitor in the game of Survivor. Becoming a Traitor comes with one big advantage, but many disadvantages that pretty much could tank your game unless you use them properly. Your disadvantages include being no longer allowed to look for hidden immunity idols, or winning individual immunity should you make the merge. If you find a normal idol, you must immediately give it to someone. If you win individual immunity, you must give it away before the next vote. Failing to do either will net you a penalty vote that will stay on you for the rest of your time in the game.'"

"Oh my gosh... that's not good at all," frowned Mattie, "No more idols... no more individual immunity... and our plan just... well, it's kind of ruined, right? I mean... what happens to that idol Phillip gave you?"

" _Bertie and I decided to become traitors in the game of Survivor! At first, I thought it would be fun, because we were going to be spies sneaking in, and taking out the enemy! But then... like, being a traitor means no immunity idols, winning immunity challenges... we're basically useless." - Mattie_

Bertie grumbled a little bit, "Well damn... guess that means I can't use it anymore... Tamara's gotta have it, then."

"But can we trust her?" asked Mattie, a little concerned.

Bertie shrugged his shoulders, "The hell else are we supposed to do? We just have to have a little bit of faith in her when we throw this challenge in a few days. Leave that part to me, okay?"

Mattie nodded her head softly, continuing to read where Bertie left off, "Okay... 'This is your only idol in the game. While not a normal idol, this special idol will act like an immunity necklace at any one point in the game. You may not give it to anyone, or use it on anyone but yourself. Use it wisely.'" Mattie suddenly did a double take, "Wait, what?! There's an idol in our boxes?""

Bertie heard what she said, and opened the box after putting aside the note, revealing a wrapped up immunity idol. Mattie did the same thing, and revealed yet another one just for her.

"I guess... this is what we get in return? Idols that only we can use... one time... one play... one use. God damn this sucks." sighed Bertie.

Mattie was a little confused, "But... this is perfect for us! Like... we each have an idol now! We can easily get them to turn on eachother!"

"Which means we can't save these idols for the merge when we really need them the most." replied Bertie, a little irritated.

" _I can imagine that, once we merge, there's gonna be a target on my back. I may not be a challenge threat... but you can't tell me that I won't be a target just because my social game is on point. This special idol would have been perfect for the merge! But now... it's gotta be wasted here." - Bertie_

Mattie smiled at Bertie warmly, "Well... you know what? I'm not worried. Because I really don't think we're going to need these idols during the merge, anyway! You, me, Phillip, and Tamara could, like, run this game once Prusol is out of the picture!"

Bertie eyed her weirdly, "Are... you sure about that? You sure you ain't going back to Violet once we're done here?"

Mattie sighed a little bit, looking away from Bertie for a moment... before shaking her head, "No. I'm sorry, but like.. Violet's really digging her own grave at this point. After the way she reacted last night to my decision... I can't go back to that."

"Well then... I'll hold you to it, then." smiled Bertie, shaking Mattie's hand afterwards.

" _I'm really, really sorry Violet, but... I can't work with you anymore. This game is only going to get harder from here, and like... your attitude is really pulling me down! I didn't let it bother me the first 15 days, but last night was just the tipping point for me. I'm sorry, but it's time for a change!" - Mattie_

Meanwhile, back at camp, G-Money, Nicholas, Gretch, and Dylan were sitting around the fire. Tamara had just finished speaking with them about the whole mutiny ordeal.

Nicholas was a little bit in shock, "Wow... who would have thought two people would have mutinied at the same time. Especially two people from different backgrounds?"

"A group of people who believe every bit of bullshit on the internet, that's who." muttered Dylan to himself, his attention focused away from the fire, and out in the forest, analyzing something.

G-Money laughed a little bit, "Tamara ain't a good liar, man! Those two ain't here to start over. They here to crash our party, and vote us all out!"

" _Lemme tell you something; Tamara's not shit! But I bet you already knew that about her! Listen, two completely unrelated people mutiny from a tribe... Dustin, the only Prusol player on that team gone... and we're supposed to believe things are a mess? Fuck that. Something fishy is going on!" - G-Money_

Gretch was a little confused over her fellow tribe mate's distrust of the new players, "What wrong with newcomers? I think them good people. Not here to ruin Prusol legacy."

Dylan scoffed a little bit, "Yeah, sure Big Gretch... will you still be saying that when you're having dinner with Dustin in two nights?"

Gretch raised an eyebrow, "What you mean by that? Dustin gone. Big Gretch can't have dinner with Dustin as long as Big Gretch still in game."

"That's what he means, dumbass!" snapped G-Money, "It's a classic scam! They're spies, Gretch! They want one of us out! That means the strongest."

Gretch blinked at G-Money, still confused.

"THAT MEANS YOU!" yelled G-Money, getting frustrated with Gretch's slow attention span.

"Ohhhh... ohh okay, Big Gretch see what you saying. Dinner can wait!" replied Gretch, crossing her arms, "Big Gretch won't let spies ruin Prusol! Big Gretch crush them into sawdust!"

" _Thought it nice having new members of Prusol. But Turnbull and G-Money decide they not good people. They say if get their way, Big Gretch go have dinner with Dustin! What would dinner with Dustin be like? Not good! Also means out of the game! Big Gretch not ready for that yet!" - Gretch_

"Do you think Tamara's involved with them? If they're really here to cause chaos?" asked Nicholas, looking over at G-Money.

G-Money shrugged his shoulder, "Who knows. Probably have an idol, I'd bet. That's the easy way out. Throw the immunity challenge, take Big Gretch out, their side just got stronger at the merge."

Dylan nodded his head, still looking out into the forest, "Yep. G-Money laid it out plainly for you guys. If they have an idol, we're done. Well, obviously not done. Because we're not going to lose. Believe me."

"And how the hell are you so certain about that?" asked G-Money, crossing his arms, and giving Dylan a confused look.

Dylan smirked, his pearly white teeth sparkling in the light, "Because I know what I'm doing. I can get answers out of Tamara, easily."

" _Tamara's not the best Survivor player ever. She's not even qualified to play among the ranks of Survivor Distant's entire cast. I can get plenty of answers from her, because we've made a pretty solid working relationship, and that relationship is going to be key in the next several weeks ahead." - Dylan_

"If Turnbull says that, then Big Gretch believe Turnbull. Leave Tamara in his hands. Can easily take out spies in next tribal council." replied Gretch.

G-Money shrugged his shoulders, pointing a finger at Dylan, "Whatever, man. If this shit fails, I'm blaming you, and only you, Turnbull."

Dylan chuckled a little, "I wouldn't worry about that, G-Money. If there's anything I do know, it's that all four of us will still be here by the merge. Believe me, we will foil these plans if they turn out to be true."

Nicholas nodded his head in confidence, "Alright then, sounds good to me. For now, let's just be subtle, quiet, and not give them any hints. Pretend like nothing's happened, and that we're clueless."

" _Based on what G-Money and Turnbull said, it sounds like the new Legaias players that betrayed their tribe to come here are here to dismantle our tribe. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it's a good plan in retrospect; sneak into the other tribe, and idol out their strongest player." - Nicholas_

Eventually, Nicholas, G-Money, and Gretch left the camp area to do different things, leaving Dylan by himself. When he was finally alone, Dylan lightly chuckled to himself, and walked towards the forest.

"All too easy." chuckled Dylan as he followed where his eyes took him during the whole discussion with his tribe.

" _If there's anything I'm good at, it's multitasking. Working in business, you need to be able to do different things at once. Filing taxes, hiring the best people, and making your name grow in size. While we were talking about the mutiny... I pinpointed exactly where the Prusol idol would be!" - Dylan_

Dylan eventually found the forked tree he remembered in the clues he was given from Jeff as well as G-Money. He started to dig around the tree...

…

…

…

...and almost immediately, Dylan was able to pull out the Prusol hidden immunity idol, all wrapped up and ready to go.

Dylan simply smiled to himself, not even doing a victory dance or gesture, or anything. He simply pocketed the immunity idol, and went on with his day.

" _Survivor is a business trip. You don't go out there to make friends, or have fun. You go there to win a million dollars. I have been studying this game for the last eleven years of my life. Now that I'm finally here, it's time for me, Dylan Turnbull, to play the game the way it was meant to be played." - Dylan_

– – – – –

Legaias Day 17

Sitting down by the beach, Sgt. Rex and Isabel were talking about the game, and about their current situation. The biggest question on their minds was... what was next after the merge?

"I was thinking about this yesterday... but right now, we're in a good spot," said Isabel, looking over at Sgt. Rex, "But... I have to be real with you, Rex, what happens after we merge?"

"Simple! We destroy what's left of the Prusol tribe! What more do you want me to say, Buchanan?" guffawed Sgt. Rex, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well... if we want to win this game... I mean, I don't think we can just stay loyal to Legaias for long." reminded Isabel.

" _The other day, I started to believe that... while Rex and I are doing pretty well in this four person tribe... it's whats after that concerns me. Phillip, Bertie, Mattie, Tamara, Violet... that's a solid group of five. Where do Rex and I stand once we wipe out the Prusol tribe? We'll be outsiders again." - Isabel_

"Well, you know me, Buchanan, my word is my word," confirmed Sgt. Rex, "I bleed Legaias blue, and will continue to bleed Legaias blue until my torch is snuffed for good! Remember that well!"

"What if they turn on us before we vote out the Prusol players? What would you do, then?" asked Isabel.

Sgt. Rex shook his head, "If that ever happens, Buchanan, I will crush those snakes under my feet! The Rex Train doesn't stop for traitors! That goes for Legaias brothers and sisters! Cross me, and you're a dead one!"

" _Isabel makes a good point, however! After losing Simon and Norma in our ranks, certainly there's a chance we won't survive to the end! Surely Tamara will join the higher ranks, a spot she does not deserve, even if she helps out in this plan of Phillip's! I will not stand for it whatsoever!" - Sgt. Rex_

Isabel nodded her head, "I suppose... there's also the chance that maybe... once we merge, we try and get Tamara out as quickly as possible? Squash any efforts for her to break Legaias apart?"

Sgt. Rex laughed out loud, "HAH! I love that plan! Let Bertie and Mattie throw the challenge, idol out the big lady, and we just use the Prusol votes to blindside Tamara! Now that's a big move the Rex Train can pull off!"

Isabel smiled very softly at Sgt Rex's words, nodding along with him, but saying no more.

" _I think the best move for my game would be to vote Tamara out once we merge. She's not only just a huge physical threat, but she could very easily slip below the cracks, and break us apart. Rex and I need an opening to make it to the end, and Tamara could easily thwart us if we're not careful." - Isabel_

Meanwhile, inside the shelter, Phillip and Violet were laying down on opposite sides of the shelter. They didn't speak with one another, but both were lost in their own thoughts.

" _My only hope right now... well, it's that everything goes as it should. Bertie and Mattie need to throw the immunity challenge tomorrow, and take out Gretchen. That would be my personal preference, but... anyone from that team going home would be great. We just need the numbers advantage." - Phillip_

" _This is beginning to feel a lot familiar to me... back on Day 2, I was sick of the environment. The rain, the cold, everything. The only thing that kept me going was the game, playing it, and making bold moves against idiots like Norma and Rex. Now... it's just not fun when you're not in power." - Violet_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 17

Taking a stroll down to the water well, Bertie and Tamara were talking about the game, and the decision that Bertie and Mattie came up with after receiving their traitor gifts.

"Mattie and I have thought about it," explained Bertie, "And at this point, it just makes more sense to give you the idol Phillip gave me. Think of it as a sign of our trust, okay?"

Tamara was a little surprised, but shrugged her shoulders, "Alright, I guess. You two are still gonna throw the challenge, right?"

Bertie nodded his head, "Absolutely. Have they caught onto our plans?"

"Like hell if I care. I think I can squeeze an answer out of Turnbull if they have caught onto us. He's the most trustworthy out of those idiots." chuckled Tamara.

" _Between the newcomers, I happen to like Bertie the most. He just seems to have a better head on his shoulder compared to Mattie, that's all. And unlike some men on our tribe... he's respectful, works hard around camp, and doesn't sit on his ass. He also don't have a stupid ass nickname!" - Tamara_

"Well, you'd know them better then I would," shrugged Bertie, "We're putting our fate in your hands, Tamara. Don't screw it up, y'hear?"

Tamara shook her head, "Dude, don't worry about it, okay? I'm on your side, and that's that. Ain't no way that's gonna change!"

Bertie nodded his head, "Works for me. Hmm... how about this, then, Tamara? You, me, Mattie, Phillip? Final 4?" He then held his hand out for her to shake, with Phillip's idol already in it, ready to give away.

" _This is going to be the ultimate test of trust, right here. If Tamara doesn't screw us over tomorrow night, we can make this work. Otherwise... well, guess I'm having a shower tomorrow night! All that needs to happen now is that challenge getting thrown to Legaias. Then we make our move." - Bertie_

Tamara looked down at his hand, and hesitated for a moment, wondering if this was all too good to be true. Then she smiled at him, shaking his hand and taking the idol from him, "Bertie, my man, you got yourself a deal! I'm soooo fucking ready for this game to change."

"Couldn't agree more with you." chuckled Bertie, smiling back at her.

" _My man Bertie gave me a free immunity idol! Well, can't say it's really free, since if we throw the challenge, this baby's getting played tomorrow night for sure. All I gotta do now is prove my loyalty, and get the answer out of Turnbull's pretty face. Whoever they voting out, I block that shit!" - Tamara_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Nicholas and Mattie were sitting down by the fire eating some rice. G-Money was also walking around camp, looking desperate and frustrated.

"Oh! Oh! And I cannot forget about Phillip Sanchez!" giggled Mattie, talking about her former tribe to Nicholas, "He's just so dreamy, and I love dreamy men with good minds!"

Nicholas chuckled a little bit, "He is pretty dreamy, huh? Definitely a handsome man, definitely more so than me."

Mattie shook her head, "Oh no, Nicky! You're super cute! But... I mean, you're still young, but like, I think you'll grow into a handsome man!"

"Yeah... I guess so, huh?" replied Nicholas with a smile.

" _While the main concern right now is that Mattie and Bertie are here to sabotage our tribe, and get one of us out... I want to get on their good sides, just so the target's not on my back. Mattie's super friendly, and I feel like us being some of the young players here, we connect really well." - Nicholas_

Soon, G-Money walked by the pair, frantically searching for something. This confused Nicholas, knowing how G-Money is as a person.

Nicholas whispered over to Mattie, "That's odd... usually he would have teased the two of us being adorable or something... something off with him."

"What's wrong, G-Money?" asked Mattie, startling Nicholas as he didn't expect her to talk to him, "Something missing?"

G-Money groaned a little bit, not responding to Mattie right away. He didn't really want to share what he was looking for with anybody. But he realized that without help, he'd get nowhere.

" _Listen man, I have a past I'd rather not talk about. Many regrets, many mistakes, the biggest one being how shitty of a father I was to my son. Just four years old when I skipped town, man. Wasn't until I turned 40 that I realized that... fuck, I could have been a great Dad. That shit eats at me." - G-Money_

G-Money sighed a little bit, "Just... if you see a golden bracelet 'round here, with my son's name on it, let me know."

Nicholas was a little surprised, as G-Money had never shared that piece of information before, "Whoa, you have a son? I didn't know that!"

"Yeah... kept it a secret. I was a shit father, Nicholas. Don't need to explain twice as to why that is." muttered G-Money.

" _Apparently, G-Money was searching for a gold bracelet that has his son's name on it. Now that I didn't expect at all coming from a man like him! He's all about living in the hood, having side chicks, you know, the stuff he brags about! Never once would I think that he was ever a father." - Nicholas_

"What was your son's name?" asked Mattie, tilting her head a little bit.

"Zach," replied G-Money, quickly, "He's 19 years old if I remember correctly... abandoned him and his mother when he was just a toddler. Had to escape the police after an..." He paused for a moment, before speaking, "Well, let's just say the chief of police didn't like that I slept with his daughter. He was one crazy man, I'd tell you..."

"And you didn't try to leave with them?" asked Mattie, frowning a little bit.

G-Money threw his hands up in the air, "The fuck was my choice? Hide? Fuck that. I had to run, man! Change my name, cut my hair, and start my life over in another town! If I didn't do that shit, they would have caught up with me. Didn't want them coming after my family, man."

" _Gave them a story that sounded believable. Didn't want to reveal too much about why I did what I did. Everytime I think about that decision now, I just curse myself, and wish I could go back in time and bring them with me. Had to start my life over, get a new career, and become a new man." - G-Money_

G-Money sighed, "Just... just listen. If you find that bracelet, just give it to me. No questions asked, 'kay? Don't want this shit getting leaked to someone else."

Both Nicholas and Mattie nodded their heads, and watched as G-Money wandered off to continue his search.

" _Wow... like, G-Money must have had a horrible life, huh? I mean, it's still his fault for abandoning his family, and he clearly regrets that choice. I wouldn't ever do that! In fact, if I did something horrible of a crime, I would turn myself in! That's better than running away from your problems!" - Mattie_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Prusol, getting your first look at the new Legaias tribe; Dustin voted out at the last tribal council."

Nobody really cared about Dustin, but Tamara still smiled at hearing those words, whispering to herself, "Those words are so beautiful..."

"Guys ready for today's immunity challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back immunity from you once again, Prusol."

Nicholas did so.

"For today's challenge, one person will be your caller. The other three players in the challenge will be blindfolded. Out in the field before you are seven block puzzle pieces. The caller will be responsible for directing their players to find those blocks, and carry them back to the puzzle square. Once all seven pieces have been collected, the blindfolds come off, and you can begin working on the puzzle. First tribe to finish the puzzle wins immunity and reward."

"For your reward, the winning tribe will leave here, and be taken to an open bar brought to you by Outback Steakhouse!"

"How unoriginal..." Dylan scoffed under his breath while the rest cheered.

"You will have steak, beer, mashed potatoes, and so much more. Should give you some energy to make it through the next several days. Sadly, losers get none of this wonderful reward. Instead, you will go to tribal council where yet another player will leave the game after 18 days. Let's get started."

Sgt. Rex was selected to be the caller for Legaias, while Mattie volunteered for the role on Prusol. While Isabel, Phillip, and Violet were all automatically blindfolded for Legaias, Prusol chose to have Bertie, Nicholas, and Tamara blindfolded for this challenge.

"Survivors ready? GO!"

As soon as the challenge started, Mattie and Sgt. Rex started to shout out orders for their blindfolded tribe members. At first, Mattie intended to not throw the immunity challenge right away, as it would seem too obvious. Bertie, however, was already going slow, and pretending like he couldn't hear Mattie right away. Right away, Phillip and Tamara managed to listen to orders pretty well, and bring forward the first pieces each.

Violet was also under the impression of not giving a crap, similar to that of Bertie. No matter how hard Sgt. Rex shouted, Violet refused to listen. She really did not care who won the immunity challenge. Eventually, Sgt. Rex gave up on her, and started making Isabel and Phillip work just as hard. Following the orders of the callers, Isabel and Nicholas managed to bring back the second pieces each for their tribes.

Mattie decided to keep going with her performance so far. She ignored Bertie, who was currently stuck in the bushes and lost in space. Sgt. Rex's voice was just as loud as Mattie's, and he was a much better leader compared to her. He had a plan laid out in front of him, and Isabel and Phillip were working overtime just for him. Both of them managed to bring a piece each to him, bringing Legaias' piece total to four. Only Tamara returned with a piece for Prusol, pulling them up with three.

With Nicholas on his way carrying the fourth piece for Prusol, Mattie decided now was the time to begin slowing things down. She ordered Tamara to go an opposite route from where the next piece was. When Nicholas returned with his piece, he too was ordered to go opposite of another piece. G-Money, Gretch, and Dylan questioned this decision from the side lines, their worst fears being realized. Meanwhile, Sgt. Rex continued to dominate, as his plan continued to work as expected. Isabel and Phillip brought two more pieces to the puzzle square, and only one piece was left for Legaias to collect.

"Yo Mattie! Are you still there? I ain't finding nothing!" yelled Tamara, flailing her arms forward in an attempt to grab something. She was doing this on purpose, but she wanted to make it seem like she was uninvolved.

Nicholas was also finding nothing, and he was wondering why Mattie hadn't been calling on Bertie in awhile. Mattie continued to give wrong directions, and doing a really bad job at making it look like she sucked. On the flipside, Isabel was directed, and managed to bring back the final puzzle piece for Legaias. With Legaias having all seven puzzle pieces, Isabel, Phillip, and Violet threw off their blindfolds, and began working on the puzzle.

With Legaias working on their puzzle, Mattie decided to get her act back together, and started to direct Tamara and Nicholas back in the right directions of the puzzle pieces. Bertie, at this point, was standing still, crossing his arms, and awaiting a command from Mattie.

With Legaias, Violet refused to help with the puzzle, pouting in the corner, and effectively turning Legaias into a three person tribe in this challenge. Still, Isabel and Phillip were putting in some good work, and working in conjunction with Sgt. Rex as they worked on the puzzle.

Tamara and Nicholas each brought back a piece for Prusol, bringing their total up to six. All they needed now was one final piece. But...

…

…

…

….there was absolutely no need to get that piece, as Legaias finished their puzzle in record order.

"We're done Jeff!" shouted Sgt. Rex, pounding his chest in victory.

Jeff ran over to check the puzzle, and confirm victory for Legaias.

"JUST LIKE THAT! IT'S OVER! LEGAIAS WINS IMMUNITY AND REWARD!"

All of Legaias hugged and cheered, except for Violet.

"What an excellent effort by the Legaias tribe! You may have lost three people in one night, but this is how a tribe fights back after so many losses! Great job! Not only have you won immunity, but a steak dinner awaits you just around the corner! However, you do need to select someone to sit in at Legaias' tribal council. Sgt. Rex and Phillip have already went, so who's it gonna be between Isabel and Violet?"

Isabel immediately raised her hand, "It.. really doesn't seem like Violet wants to go, Jeff. So I suppose I'll go in her stance."

Violet rolled her eyes, but was fine with the immediate decision made by Isabel.

"Very well. Isabel will attend Prusol's tribal council tonight. Prusol, you guys have a big afternoon tonight. Somebody will be going home after 18 days in Australia, and there's plenty of strategizing to do with newcomers, I'm sure. See you all tonight."

– – – – –

Reward Day 18

The four remaining members of Legaias raced down the path towards the tent where they would be having their steak dinner.

"LET'S GO! GET THAT STEAK ON MY PLATE!" roared Sgt. Rex as he made a mad dash into the tent. Isabel and Phillip followed him in from behind. Violet trailed slowly behind them.

" _HELL YEAH BABY! This is what I'm talking about! Big, juicy, meaty steaks, cold beer, and all the victory dripping down my face! You see this face?" (Puts on a ferocious looking face) "That's my will! That's my determination! That's the Rex Train crashing into Prusol! RUHAWRRRR!" - Sgt. Rex_

All four players sat down with their foods of choice. Sgt. Rex had three juicy steaks and a cold beer. Isabel had a small steak, little bit of macaroni and cheese, and a soft drink. Phillip had only steak and a cold beer, while Violet only had macaroni and cheese, and nothing else.

"This is a victory we needed, guys. Hopefully Mattie and Bertie pull off a wild move tonight." smiled Phillip.

"Hah! I don't care who they vote off! Vote off a Prusol, and I'm a happy man!" grinned Sgt. Rex, "This set of people right here? We're the Final 6! We're going to come out on top after so long at being the losers!"

"And to that, Rex, I agree!" smiled Phillip, raising his glass up to his, clinking them together.

" _I love Sgt. Rex's enthusiasm over sticking Legaias strong... but let's be real here, it's never that easy. He, along with Isabel, are really strong competitors, and Isabel's such a sweet, quiet woman. Both are going to have to be taken out when the timing is right. For now, we can string them along." - Phillip_

Isabel looked over at Violet, who was barely eating, and just pouted the whole time, "Are... you okay, Violet?"

"Shut up..." muttered Violet, clearly not in a talking mood.

After a little bit of silence, Violet picked up her plate, and walked away from the tribe, choosing to eat alone.

"What a sad little girl she is!" scoffed Sgt. Rex, "She could have gone home tonight if not for Phillip's great plan! This is how she chooses to thank him? What a disgrace!"

Isabel sighed a little bit, looking over at Violet as she ate alone, feeling a little sorry for her.

" _I don't know how Violet's really feeling.. but this is becoming all too familiar with me. I was outcasted by my family. Nobody paid attention to me... my siblings got all the attention. Until I joined the military, I was just... that one quiet girl. For Violet... well, I think she feels broken, and sad." - Isabel_

– – – – –

Prusol Day 18

With quite the big vote approaching for the Prusol tribe, every single person was on edge. At this point, nobody was safe, and anything could happen tonight with the traitors suspiciously joining the tribe.

Down by the water well, Tamara, Mattie, and Bertie were discussing their plan, and who to vote out.

"Damn Mattie, I kind of wished if you just played it up a little better. That performance felt so fake, girl." said Tamara, filling up her water canteen.

Mattie giggled a little bit, "I was just having fun with it... besides, I mean like, we're good tonight. Right? Big Gretch goes home?"

"Sounds good to me. She's the biggest threat, but she's as dumb as a rock. Fine with dropping her now." chuckled Tamara.

" _Tonight's going to be really interesting. Bertie and I are going to play our special idols tonight, and Tamara will play Phillip's idol on herself. This pretty much forces one of the other four players to go home! I just really, really hope we can get Big Gretch out of here tonight. She's so strong!" - Mattie_

"I'll continue to pretend I'm with the others, keep things peachy... I should be able to get the answer out of them so I know which one of us gets the idol." continued Tamara.

"Should be my name tonight, I'd expect. Oldest guy out here, completely useless at the challenge... come on, I fully expect them to write my name down tonight." shrugged Bertie.

Tamara nodded, "Yeah, but it's good just to keep informed, y'know? Leave it to me, guys."

Bertie and Mattie nodded their hands, and shook hands with Tamara as Tamara ran off to do her strategizing for the night ahead.

" _Let Tamara do what she needs to do. We'll surprise her with the special idols tonight. Nothing wrong with a few secrets, right? However... just can't help but think Gretch is the wrong move tonight. Sure, she's the strongest one here... but she's dumb! You'd think Dylan or Gregg are better options." - Bertie_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Dylan, G-Money, Nicholas, and Gretch were discussing the vote, and what needed to happen to ensure all four of them remained safe.

"Holy fuck! That challenge performance couldn't have looked more thrown!" laughed G-Money, clapping his hands together, "Wooo boy... let me tell you! If they don't have an idol, I'm shaving my fucking mohawk."

" _Yeah, didn't find my bracelet yet... but man, now it's time to focus on the game. I can search for that thing after we make it through the night! Tch... my fault anyway for losing it. Anyway... tonight, we're one step ahead of these fools, man. I got a plan that's gonna flip the script on top of 'em!" - G-Money_

"What you have in mind, then? If idol in their pocket, we must stop them, right?" asked Gretch, looking at G-Money.

G-Money grinned, "Damn right, Big Gretch! Tell you what... let's write Tamara's name down! They playing that idol on Bertie or Mattie tonight... so just send the stupid bitch home! Ain't crying tears for doing so!"

"That's not a bad idea, actually," replied Nicholas, "That would be a move they wouldn't see coming. They think Tamara's safe, and they're not. The idol would be a complete waste of time."

Dylan nodded his head, "And we have the numbers to make it happen..."

" _I think this could be a good move coming from G-Money. By voting Tamara instead of, say, Bertie, we don't have to worry about an idol being played on her. Nobody would be expecting that, and honestly... Tamara won't be loyal to my alliance anyway, so voting her out won't really hurt us." - Nicholas_

Gretch nodded her head, "So that it then? Tamara go home instead of traitors? Does not sound good to Big Gretch..."

"Think of it like this, Gretch... again," sighed G-Money, rubbing his forehead with his hand, "If we vote Bertie or Mattie, and they play the fucking idol... guess who goes home?"

Gretch nodded her head once more, "Oh... right. Me. Okay. Big Gretch see point now."

" _Tamara big and strong. Mattie and Bertie puny and pathetic. Traitor never wins. Why bother playing if already losing? Big Gretch don't quite understand them. But will move forward with plan to vote Tamara. Because Big Gretch loyal to Prusol and alliance. Will stay loyal until the end!" - Gretch_

Dylan clapped his hands together, "I suppose that's it, then? Tamara goes home, idol gets flushed out immediately, and hopefully, when we merge, we will be stronger together against the enemy."

"Right on, Turnbull!" smiled Nicholas, fist bumping him. G-Money and Gretch also did the same thing, as the group of four agreed to vote for Tamara.

Dylan walked away from the group, a smile on his face, whispering under his breath, "Too bad that's not on today's schedule, though..."

" _You know what? Tonight's a good night to make a big move. I think I've built a good relationship with Tamara... and if G-Money's right, and they do have an idol... hey, why not spill the beans and get who I want out instead? Nicholas is such a likable guy, and I can't allow him to make the merge." - Dylan_

A few moments later, Dylan and Tamara were taking a walk down a trail far away from camp, discussing what was about to go down at tribal council.

"So we're not having a group meeting? Don't bode well with me, honestly." replied Tamara, a tad worried.

Dylan shook his head, "No... we had it without you. The group decided that you need to be voted out tonight."

Tamara stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth gaping at what Dylan said, "WHAT?! Seriously? Now I'm the target all of a sudden? What the fuck is going on, Turnbull?!"

" _So guess what? Not only did Prusol have a team meeting without me... the meeting was about voting me off! Me! The weirdest part about all of this... is well... Turnbull's out right telling me. Cool, I guess, but like... think about it... the hell is he doing? Something's going on, and I don't like it." - Tamara_

"Hey, hey... calm down," soothed Dylan, placing a hand on Tamara's shoulder, "I'm on your side, and I wanted to tell you to warn you. They think Bertie and Mattie have an idol.. and by voting you out, they flush the idol."

"Ohhhh... and how the hell would they guess that out of the blue?" asked Tamara, curiously.

Dylan smirked, "Nicholas brought it up, surprisingly. He said it was a classic Survivor move... and they really don't trust you as it is, so... they have nothing to lose by voting you out."

Tamara blinked a little bit, "Wait... Nick? Fucking Nick of all people brought it up?"

Dylan shrugged, lying through his teeth, "Yeah... I was surprised too. The kid's really smart, though... smarter than the other two bozos, you know?"

" _I need Nicholas out of this game. Firstly, he's a big social threat. Everybody loves the kid, and they want to be his friend. Look, even Mattie's befriending him, and that's scary to me. Secondly, by getting Nicholas out of here, G-Money is all by himself, making it easier to control his every move." - Dylan_

Tamara just shook her head, thinking to herself, before throwing her arms up, "Alright... fine, Turnbull... thanks for the head's up, man."

"You're welcome. Believe me, I have your back, and I always make good on my word." reminded Dylan as he shook hands with Tamara, returning back to camp, leaving Tamara by herself.

" _Something feels extremely off now... Turnbull says Nick is the one who decided that I needed to go home tonight. But... I don't know, but something tells me somebody put that seed in his head. Nick's a good kid, and I don't think he would do such a thing if he wasn't already influenced..." - Tamara_

A few moments later, Tamara walked down towards the water where Mattie and Bertie were cleaning their clothes before tribal council.

"Hey Tamara! What's going on?" asked Mattie with a hearty smile.

"Oh... nothing much... only except for the part where Turnbull tells me that I'm the target tonight." replied Tamara.

This statement startled both Bertie and Mattie, as they were not expecting this outcome.

" _Okay... so like... I really did not expect this to happen at all! Tamara was outright told by someone that she was the target tonight! That makes things so much more easier! Now Bertie and I don't need to play our special idols, and Tamara can just use Phillip's idol on herself, and we win tonight!" - Mattie_

Tamara shook her head, "He said Nicholas came up with the idea... which just struck me as odd. Nick's a smart kid, but... I don't think he would be the one to just... throw my name out there."

Bertie nodded his head, "Yeah... sounds like something one of the others would have done. And how do we know Dylan's not lying?"

"You're right, he could be lying," replied Tamara, "Someone could have easily planted that seed in Nick's head and... and..." She suddenly gasped out loud, realizing something, "Holy shit! Oh my God! How could I have been so stupid! Ugh!"

" _My attention has been spent trying to organize this coupe that I completely forgot about something! There's a master manipulator out here, running the show behind the scenes... and they're the ones responsible for my intended elimination tonight! Didn't think I would slip that easily!" - Tamara_

"Guys, we're not going to vote for Gretch tonight. We need to vote someone else out. The person that's been running the show since literally Day 1 of this game!" declared Tamara.

Bertie smiled a little bit, "Figured that would be the better move, Tamara... who's it gonna be?"

Tamara spoke the name out loud for Mattie and Bertie to hear, and the trio agreed to vote that person out of the game.

" _Tonight's a big move. I can feel it. We're still sending out a threat, don't get me wrong... but it's not the one I believe Phillip wanted us to get rid of. I just hope he's okay with our decision. Listen, I came here to play a game, and you have to make difficult choices. Tonight's just one of those choices." - Bertie_

– – – – –

The Prusol tribe arrived at tribal council.

"We'll now bring in Isabel, coming in from the Legaias tribe to listen in on tonight's vote."

Isabel slowly walked into tribal council. She gave a small nod to the Prusol tribe as she sat down on the jury side.

"So the Prusol tribe has been on a role since Day 9 of this game. Suddenly, two people choose to mutiny over here... and finally came your first real loss in a long time. Bertie, how does it feel to still be on the losing side?" asked Jeff.

"Doesn't feel good at all. I already feel in danger tonight because I'm the old man! Look at how long Horace survived last season... I'm due for my exit any day now." replied Bertie.

"G-Money, Bertie makes a good point. He betrayed his tribe, he's the old man, makes perfect sense to vote him off tonight. What do you make of that?" asked Jeff.

G-Money chuckled a little bit.

"Jeff, it's just so funny. Maybe it's just me, but why did the two weakest players from that team suddenly join our tribe? To screw us over? Because that performance today was embarrassing, and you can't say otherwise, man." replied G-Money.

Both Bertie and Mattie nodded a little bit, not hiding it at all.

"Nicholas, that means tonight's vote should be an easy one. But let me ask you... is it really that easy only 18 days in to vote somebody out?" asked Jeff.

Nicholas shook his head.

"Absolutely not. You have to think about what's coming in the future. Is there a merge ahead? That's the question we all have to ask ourselves." replied Nicholas.

Dylan nodded his head, crossing his arms, looking over at Nicholas as he spoke.

"Turnbull, you agree with Nicholas, evidenced by your nodding. How much has the merge been on your mind lately?" asked Jeff.

"It's always been on my mind. Come on, you can't tell me we're not merging tomorrow morning. That's just a load of baloney. Let me tell you, Probst, throw any twist my way, and I'll see it coming a mile away." replied Dylan.

"Tamara, how do you vote tonight? Is it about taking out a threat tonight? Or is it about making sure that this tribe is ready for the next challenge?" asked Jeff.

Tamara shrugged her shoulders.

"A little bit of both, Jeff. Just a little bit of both. Turnbull and Nick are right; that merge can happen at any time." replied Tamara.

Dylan nodded his head, looking at Tamara one more time.

"Mattie, how safe do you feel tonight?" asked Jeff.

"Not very safe, honestly. Like, yeah, Bertie's older then I am, but they could just as easily vote me out instead of Bertie, because I was the one who cost us the immunity challenge. I think I'm equally as safe as Bertie feels right now." replied Mattie.

"Well said. It's time to vote, Big Gretch, you're up."

Both Bertie and Mattie chose to not play their special idols, knowing that all they needed was Tamara's.

– – –

Dylan's Vote: "I always get what I want. Enjoy the pre merge vacation Nicholas." (Tamara)

G-Money's Vote: "Been wanting to make this vote since Day 1. What a stupid bitch." (Tamara)

Tamara's Vote: "I let my guard down for just a second... and I won't let it happen again." (?)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything. Suddenly, Tamara stood up, carrying Phillip's idol in her hands, walking over towards Jeff.

"Sorry Jeff, but tonight's not my night." She smiled, dropping the idol into his hand.

Nobody was really surprised to see the idol being played after G-Money spread the idea about the other side having the immunity idol.

"The rules of Survivor state, that if someone plays the hidden immunity idol, all votes cast against the person will not count, and the person with the second most votes will go home. This is indeed a hidden immunity idol, because even if it's broken, all the pieces are together. Any votes cast against Tamara will not count."

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Tamara, doesn't count. (Tamara did a fist pump, happy that things were finally working out for her.)

…

Tamara, doesn't count.

Tamara, doesn't count.

Tamara, doesn't count. Still no votes for anybody. (Dylan grinned, crossing his arms. Gretch looked dreadfully worried, while G-Money placed his hands on his hips.)

Next vote...

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

...Gregg. AKA G-Money. One vote G-Money. (Dylan's jaw dropped, covering it instantly. Gretch sighed of relief, a little surprised she wasn't the target. Nicholas sadly looked over at G-Money, who merely grinned at the sight of his name.)

…

Sixth person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands, G-Money. That's two, and tonight, that's enough. You need to bring me your torch.

"Blam! What a move... cowardly move, of course. You're still a bitch, Tamara." muttered G-Money, grabbing his torch, and patting Nicholas on the back before giving it to Jeff, "Good luck, kid."

"G-Money, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out his torch.

"Time for you to go."

G-Money turned around to look at the others, "Hey uhh... if any y'all see my gold bracelet... mind giving it back at the finale? Thanks, and peace!" He gave the peace sign as he walked out of tribal council. Dylan just sat there in shock, wondering what went wrong.

"Clearly, tonight's vote says a lot about the status of the Prusol tribe. The newcomers won the first battle, but the war is far from over. But for now, we have to move on over to the mutiny decision."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Tamara, having received the second most votes tonight, despite using the immunity idol to cancel all of them out, you now have the opportunity to mutiny from the Prusol tribe, and join the Legaias tribe. However, in doing so you will be marked a 'Traitor' in this game. There are many disadvantages and advantages to becoming a Traitor. But you will only find out if you mutiny. So what is your decision?"

Tamara immediately shook her head, "Absolutely not Jeff. I'm having fun with my tribe now. Why would I abandon it now?"

"Very well. No mutiny happens tonight, but never say never. Grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

The Prusol tribe soon left the tribal council area.

Jeff then turned to Isabel, tossing her a rolled up note, "As for you, Isabel, because you were chosen to represent Legaias tonight, you get to have this note. Read it whenever you like. I think you'll find its message important."

Isabel nodded her head, taking the note from Jeff, and placing it in her coat pocket. She then walked out of tribal council to return back to camp.

– – – – –

 **G-Money's Final Words**

"Tamara wanted me out from the beginning, man. As soon as I saw her play the idol... I knew it was my time to go. There was no ifs, ands, buts about it. She hated my guts, and wanted me gone. Well, she got her wish, and it's going to bite her in the ass. I may not have won, but man... I had a blast on Survivor!"

VOTE

G-Money – Tamara, Bertie, and Mattie

Tamara – Gretch, Dylan, Nicholas, and G-Money

 _ **Final Thoughts on Gregg 'G-Money' Rose:**_ Another hard decision is beneath me, as we sit here without the man, the myth, the weirdly named G-Money. G-Money wasn't... intended to go out this early. I had plenty of story development meant for him and... the future. But with a change in how I want the second series to go, meant that G-Money's story arc was cut in half.

G-Money was smarter than he let on to be, and was the only person who caught onto Dylan's bullshit. But of course, it would be too easy if we allowed BOTH Dylan and G-Money to make the merge, now would it? Regardless, G-Money knew how to strategize, and knew how to lie, despite acting like how a pimp would normally act in real life. Most of his game was an act, for the most part.

Such a shame that nobody really enjoyed G-Money as a character. I mean, I sort of expected that. Similar to Jerry Perry, G-Money is polarizing as a character. Some like him... some hate him. I think the opinion is mixed on him, honestly. I really liked his character, so I would like to bring him back in the future... but again, depends on you guys voting on future polls!

I wanted to bring something up to you guys. I haven't decided if I would do one or not... but how would you guys feel about me setting up a P-A-T-R-E-O-N (had to space out because Fanfiction deleted the word...) for my writing? Nothing is set in stone, which is why I bring it up to my readers, and see their thoughts on the matter.

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	8. Episode 7 Author Of My Story

_Previously on, Survivor,_

 _After Phillip pulled off a big move to potentially weaken the Prusol tribe, Violet felt like her game was totally ruined. With Dustin out of the game, and Mattie on the other tribe, she knew her game was over. She annoyed the rest of her tribe with her endless whining, and refused to believe their plan was as it seemed._

 _However, with such a great plan in the works, it didn't mean everyone agreed with it. Sgt. Rex and Isabel knew that Tamara was a big physical threat, and feared she would push up the ranks over them because of their position on the original Legaias tribe. Isabel and Sgt. Rex then agreed to a plan to blindside Tamara after the merge as soon as possible._

 _On the Prusol tribe, Tamara, Mattie, and Bertie all agreed to stick together. However, soon Bertie realized that he and Mattie could no longer hold onto normal immunity idols due to becoming traitors. So they had to give up the idol over to Tamara. Meanwhile, Mattie reassured Bertie that she had zero intentions on returning to Violet's side, thinking it would only serve to crash her game as opposed to helping her game._

 _On the flip side, G-Money, Nicholas, Gretch, and Dylan were refusing to believe that Mattie and Bertie were here because they wanted to be here. They did not trust Tamara whatsoever, and they were already onto them and their plan to idol out one of their own. To make sure he wouldn't be in any danger, Dylan managed to locate and find the Prusol immunity idol. Later on in the day, G-Money lost an important gold bracelet with his abandoned son's name on it._

 _At the immunity challenge, Mattie and Bertie put Phillip's plan into action by throwing the immunity challenge. They tried to be as subtle as they could, but eventually their efforts came noticed when it became too obvious as to what they were doing. With zero competition, Legaias easily won the immunity challenge, as well as an Outback Steakhouse reward. Isabel was then selected to attend Prusol's tribal council._

 _Before tribal council, with Gretch being the planned target due to her massive strength, her tribe scrambled to come up with a plan. G-Money proposed to blindside Tamara instead of the newcomers, believing if they had an idol, they wouldn't use it on Tamara. However, using this plan to his advantage, Dylan leaked the information to Tamara, creating a lie that Nicholas came up with it instead. Tamara was confused about this, as she didn't think Nicholas would come up with such a plan. However, soon the pieces started to come together, and she told her new alliance to change the plan._

 _At tribal council, Tamara shocked the four Prusol players by playing the hidden immunity idol on herself, saving herself from a blindside. In the end, Tamara got her way, as the one person she trusted the least; G-Money, got voted out in a 3-0 decision. With one of Dylan's key allies out of the game, how will he, Nicholas, and Gretch get themselves out of hot water? 10 are left, who'll be voted out tonight?_

 **Legaias: Isabel, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, and Violet**

 **Prusol: Bertie, Dylan, Gretch, Mattie, Nicholas, and Tamara**

– – – – –

Prusol Day 19

The Prusol tribe returned from quite the interesting tribal council. All of the players had different reactions and emotions towards the whole situation.

However, one castaway was utterly pleased with herself after the move.

"Ahhh... that felt like sweet justice." grinned Tamara, setting her torch with the others, "Don't mess with an angry black woman. You gonna get burnt."

" _G-Money had to go home. I said it from the get-go; he was the one running the entire show. Man, and he thought he was slick about it too! He was manipulating Turnbull, manipulating Nick, and taking advantage of Big Gretch's dumb ass! Someone had to do something about him, man!" - Tamara_

"It was a good move," replied Nicholas, looking over at her, "Shouldn't have expected you'd see this coming a mile away."

Tamara laughed a little bit, "G-Money was a horrible influence, Nick. He was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. Dude had to go home."

Dylan crossed his arms, and watched the conversation unfold, wondering what happened last night that caused Nicholas to stay, and for G-Money to go home.

" _I don't quite get it. Tamara's either a fucking idiot. Or the dumbest person that's ever lived on this planet, that much I can tell you. Let me get one thing straight; I'm the one running this show. Not G-Money, not her, ME! She just messed with the wrong guy. Believe me, she's on the shit list." - Dylan_

"Gregg had to go home," said Bertie, "I don't know how a grown 40 year old man can call himself some random... stupid name like that."

"But it showed how creative a guy like that can be! Maybe calling himself 'G-Money' was him being unique!" giggled Mattie, "He was creepy, but I think he was... alright I suppose."

"Now he's gone, and this game is back on. I ain't holding back anymore. I've got my groove back!" smirked Tamara.

" _Last night went pretty well, I'd say. Tamara's suspicion was on point. She got all the votes last night, and we managed to send Gregg out the door. Good riddance, I'd say. I think voting off Gretch would have been a mistake. Clearly we took out the key threat in the Prusol tribe, above anybody." - Bertie_

A few moments later, Dylan and Tamara were taking a walk down the shore line, discussing the vote last night.

"I have to say, I'm a little surprised you took G-Money out last night." said Dylan, putting his hands in his pockets, trying to put on an act like he wasn't pissed at her.

Tamara shook her head, "G-Money's been manipulating everybody, Turnbull! You, me, Big Gretch, and Nick! The dude had to get his ass taken out before we merge. Trust me, that dude was on crack."

Dylan shrugged his shoulders, "So what happens now? Are you with them? Are they with us?"

"What in the hell do you think, Turnbull? Nick and Gretch ain't gonna trust me again," replied Tamara, "You're the only one I can trust. Especially now that G-Money's outta here!"

" _I still trust Turnbull... and by taking G-Money out, I feel like now I have a stronger grip on Turnbull's loyalty. G-Money was always getting in his ear, and making him believe some stupid shit. I have my endgame plans with Bertie and Mattie... but I want Turnbull around for a Plan B, y'know?" - Tamara_

"Yeah, but Legaias has all the power now. It's the four of us on the outside." reminded Dylan.

Tamara shook her head, "Think of me as a free agent, Turnbull. They trust me because they tried to help me out of this shitty mess I was in with G-Money. Nicholas and Gretch are nothing but cannon fodder now."

Dylan crossed his arms, wondering what Tamara was up to, "Alright, I'm not liking where this is going..."

" _What in the hell is this bitch doing? She's destroying my hard earned work for her own game! You don't do that with me! I'm the author of my story, and you're not apart of it! Tamara's setting my entire tribe, my entire game, my million dollars, on FIRE! Guess what, bitch? YOU'RE fired!" - Dylan_

Still Dylan held in his frustration around Tamara, and sighed, "We'll see how it all plays out, Tamara. You've followed my lead. Perhaps it's time I follow yours."

Tamara chuckled a little bit, "Glad you see it my way, Turnbull." She held out a hand for him to shake, "We're in this together, my boy. Final 3? Or Final 2 if there is one?"

Dylan accepted the hand shake almost immediately, "Got yourself a deal."

" _Don't get me wrong.. I like Bertie, and I respect Mattie... but come on. This is Survivor. You gotta be on your toes! Especially in my case being part of the minority, and a traitor to the minority at that! If I bring along Turnbull? With his experience, this merge is going to be a quick cake walk." - Tamara_

After Tamara left Dylan to his own devices, Dylan sighed out in frustration, clenching his fists, "What a stupid bitch... I won't let you ruin what I've built up after all this time!"

– – – – –

Legaias Day 19

Isabel was walking back to camp after Prusol's hectic tribal council. She opened up the note Jeff gave her upon leaving tribal council, which was indeed a clue to the hidden immunity idol.

" _Last night, Tamara played Phillip's immunity idol. So I would then assume the immunity idol has been re-hidden back at our camp. With the merge coming, I think it would be to my benefit, and to Rex's benefit to find the immunity idol. While we have the numbers, Rex and I are extendable." - Isabel_

As Isabel arrived at tree mail, she noticed Sgt. Rex walking up the trail, a big grin on his face.

"So! Did you get a note, Buchanan?" grinned Sgt. Rex, knowing exactly what Isabel got from Jeff based on experience.

Isabel nodded her head softly, "Yeah, I did. I was going to come get you to search for it with me. Are you up for it?"

"Up for it? I'm eager for it! Let's go!" replied Sgt. Rex, pounding his chest with pride.

" _Buchanan and I are at the bottom of the pecking order! Ain't no doubt about that! Violet's digging her own grave, but she's just a shiny golden piece of shit worth taking to the Final 3! Now the Rex Train doesn't play like that! I will find that idol, and I will get to Day 39 clawing to the finish!" - Sgt. Rex_

With their plan put into effect, both Isabel and Sgt. Rex raced into the back area behind Legaias' camp, and started their search for the immunity idol. It was re-hidden after Tamara's play, after all, and they absolutely needed it over Phillip or Violet.

"Do you think we'll get caught?" asked Isabel, a worried tone in her voice.

Sgt. Rex scoffed, "Caught? Hardly! Violet's moping in the shelter like normal, and Phillip's... somewhere."

"That... doesn't bode well with me..." sighed Isabel, giving Sgt. Rex a concerned look.

"Look! Just keep searching! Doesn't matter if we get caught! The chances are low anyway!" laughed Sgt. Rex.

" _Turns out Phillip's plan worked out after all! You know what? That only makes him more dangerous! He's successfully pulled off a coupe! The talk show host clearly knows his way around a game of Survivor! But that only makes him more of a threat! I'll have my eyes peeled for him!" - Sgt. Rex_

"Look for all the hints, Buchanan!" explained Sgt. Rex, "Look for the strange looking landmarks and trees! That's where they may hide an idol!"

"I know, Rex, I know." replied Isabel, trying her best to dig for the idol.

"Now that I think about it... the hell are we gonna do anyway?" asked Sgt. Rex, stopping his search, "Sure, we get the idol... but what's next? Stick it to Phillip? Or stay loyal like a bunch of dweebs?"

Isabel sighed softly, "Well... Legaias loyalty, right? But.. I think we need to make a move when the timing is right. Phillip needs to go... but remember, so does Tamara. She needs to go home first."

" _The other day... Rex and I agreed to target Tamara first. Not only is she a physical threat, but she endangers the possibility of Legaias working together to the end. As Rex puts it... she's not Legaias, never was Legaias, and won't ever be Legaias. In the spot we're in now... she has to go." - Isabel_

"Right! Good thinking Buchanan! Now... back to the idol search!" grinned Sgt. Rex, saluting Isabel as he wandered off to continue his search.

Both Sgt. Rex and Isabel searched high and low for the immunity idol, and in the end...

…

…

…

...while Sgt. Rex was coming up empty handed, Isabel managed to find a wrapped up immunity idol hidden in the ground near a specific looking tree.

"Rex, I got it." called Isabel, quietly, trying to grab his attention.

Sgt. Rex heard her soft voice, given how quiet it was, and clapped his hands together, "Booyah! Knew you had it in you Buchanan! Now the power is back in our hands!"

He was about to let out a mighty roar, but Isabel spoke up before he could, "Let's not give away our position... roar about it later, okay?"

" _Isabel's done me proud! Soft spoken, but a big heart! Wherever she works in the military, I know for a fact they value her above anybody else! Nobody is as bold, is as loyal, and is as strong willed as Isabel Buchanan! As her strongest ally, and her close friend, it is my duty to see her grow further!" - Sgt. Rex_

Meanwhile, back at camp, Violet was continuing to lay down in the shelter, and do... pretty much nothing. She's been as mopey as Dustin was when Sgt. Rex ate his chicken.

Phillip returned from a confessional cam when he noticed Violet laying down in the shelter. He shook his head at her, sighing a bit.

"You'll be fine, Violet... the plan worked didn't it? You're still here, Mattie's still here... what do you have to be upset about?" asked Phillip.

"Because you turned Mattie against me, motherfucker." muttered Violet under her breath. She then spoke up so that Phillip could hear her, "Why do you care? Don't you think I'm not on your side as it is?"

Phillip shrugged, "So what? It's on you, Violet. Work with us... or don't. We saved your behind on multiple opportunities. You're still here because of me... and you know that."

" _I can't really stand Violet's behavior. I've been the key factor on why she's still here to this day. Bertie and I could have sent her home at any time. We could have sent her home instead of Simon or Norma, but we didn't! Violet's so worthless that she's not even worth dragging to the Final 2 to win." - Phillip_

Violet shook her head, "Bullshit... but whatever helps you sleep at night, Sanchez."

Phillip sighed, about to speak up once again, but shook his head, and walked away from the situation. He didn't think it was worth the effort to argue with her.

" _I don't have any power. Prusol's my only option at this point. Mattie's probably been brainwashed by fucking Bertie, so I don't have her vote anymore... if this plan doesn't work out, then I'm just going to self evict from the game. I don't give a shit anymore, I just want things to go back to normal." - Violet_

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

Both tribes arrived at the challenge area.

"Legaias, getting your first look at the new Prusol tribe; G-Money voted out at the last tribal council."

Phillip nodded his head. Despite Gretch not getting voted out, seeing G-Money out of the game pleased him. Sgt. Rex and Isabel both smiled, while Violet just didn't seem to care.

"Alright guys, we've had a fun 19 days of Survivor. There's been blindsides, betrayals, and big moves. The three big Bs of Survivor! I think it's time we kicked things up a notch. Surprising absolutely nobody at this stage of the show's life, drop your buffs! We are merging!"

Everybody started to celebrate at the notion of the two tribes finally merging into one team. Only Violet didn't celebrate, dropping her light blue buff onto the ground. The rest of the buffs followed suit as Jeff started tossing yellow-orange buffs to everybody.

"Congratulations on a job well done! Only question... which beach are you going to live on for the remaining 20 days?"

After a quick discussion, the castaways agreed to live on Prusol's beach.

"Very well, Prusol's the beach for the merge. All of Legaias' belongings will be moved to that location. Waiting for you back at camp will be supplies needed for a new tribe flag, rice, beans, and of course... a merge feast! Complete with steak, cheeseburgers, soda, beer, fruits, vegetables, and lots of candy!"

This caused everyone to celebrate in joy of getting some good food in their bellies. Even Violet smiled at this announcement.

"The game's only going to get interesting from here! Have a fun night as a new tribe! And I'll see you in a few days for the immunity challenge!"

 **Final 10: Bertie, Dylan, Gretch, Isabel, Mattie, Nicholas, Phillip, Sgt. Rex, Tamara, and Violet**

– – – – –

Merged Tribe Night 19

The final ten players of Survivor The Australian Highlands arrived back at the Prusol camp, with their feast awaiting them.

"Yay! I've been waiting for this day!" giggled Mattie, running ahead of the pack along with Phillip, Nicholas, Gretch, and Sgt. Rex to get their first bites of the food.

"Congratulations everybody!" cheered Nicholas, clapping his hands as he followed Mattie.

" _I honestly can't believe that I made it this far. As a huge fan of Survivor, I didn't expect to survive on my old tribe. But you know what? It takes determination, it takes skill, and it takes a good social game to get yourself out of any mess. I suppose also good looks, but... I don't use that card at all." - Nicholas_

"Leave some of that food for the rest of us!" chuckled Bertie, watching as several players raced on ahead to the feast.

Eventually, all ten players were sitting around the campfire, eating something from the feast; be it cheeseburgers, steak, french fries, chicken wings, you name it.

"Anyone got good story to tell?" asked Gretch, "Name's Big Gretch! Work as lumberjack! Sell wood for big profit!"

"I used to play in the leagues of golf when I was a young boy," said Bertie, "Got the honor of being called a 'pro golfer'. Nowadays, I'm retired, and just living my life in solitude."

"The name's Phillip Sanchez," smiled Phillip, "And... yes, I am that same guy that hosts the Late Evening Show on Comedy Central. No autographs please!" He then chuckled a little bit.

" _By being open and honest with the newcomers, I hope to potentially get some points right away. I know I have a target on my back, and if I don't say something now, it could come back to bite me in the ass. I'm just a talk show host, pretty famous... but being honest is always a bonus, right?" - Phillip_

Mattie nodded her head, giggling, turning over to look at Nicholas, "I think one of your biggest fans is over here, Phillip!" She then nudged his shoulder at Nicholas.

Nicholas blushed a little bit, shaking his head, "Wait! No, no, don't take that in a serious way, Phillip! Mattie's just... she's just teasing, that's all!"

Phillip laughed a little bit, "Don't worry, I get that all the time. From both the ladies, and the gentlemen."

"Glad you've got no shame in revealing that about yourself, Phil." chuckled Tamara, finishing off her cheeseburger.

" _Already got my eyes on Phillip, I'll give you that. He's pretty slick looking, pretty charming. Sure, he's part of my alliance, but do I trust him? Absolutely fucking not! My grandmomma always told me to never trust tall, dark, and handsome! Phillip checks all three of 'em! Better yet, he's rich!" - Tamara_

"Anyone know where the candy is?" asked Nicholas, looking around the feast table curiously.

"It's at the bottom of the basket," confirmed Dylan, "I'd say just leave it in there for tomorrow. I'm going to throw up if I eat anything else."

Sgt. Rex grinned, closing up the basket, "Done deal then! Candy is off limits until tomorrow morning!"

"Yeah, I'm okay with that! Besides, tomorrow's the day everything becomes super serious, right?" giggled Mattie, "So save the candy for tomorrow, and we'll be all energetic and ready to go!"

" _I'm so excited for the merge! Like, yeah, everything's in place for a great game! Plus, I've got my alliance! It's me, Phillip, Tamara, and Bertie! Violet's here... and she really looks depressed. Like, she hasn't even looked at me one time since we've been here. It's... kind of like... so sad, really." - Mattie_

" _This is where the game shapes up in it's most dangerous format. Tamara fucked up my game, and is planning to fuck it up even further. This is my story, my game, and I won't let some inferior Survivor player ruin it. Believe me, I'm going to make sure Tamara's out of this game before the jury." - Dylan_

" _Now it's time to make a move. Dylan Turnbull's about the only one I can stomach from the other tribe. Nicholas is drinking Mattie's cool aid, Gretch is an inbred red neck, and Tamara's obviously not with them. If I can work with Dylan, maybe this will be the best tasting revenge I've ever had." - Violet_

– – – – –

Merged Tribe Day 20

Early next morning, Violet decided to put her plan into action. Aside from her, the only person awake was Dylan.

"Let's do this..." whispered Violet to herself, as she crawled out of the shelter.

" _Honestly, at this point, the only thing that will please me is watching all of those idiots on Legaias get fucked over. I'm going to spill so many secrets. So many alliances. It's do or die for me, at this point. I need all the numbers I can get, and Dylan may be my ticket to seeing all of that happen." - Violet_

Violet walked over, and sat down next to Dylan, who was tending to the fire, "Hey... couldn't sleep well last night."

Dylan chuckled a little bit, "That's not good. Many big days are ahead, you know?"

Violet nodded her head, "Oh I know... I know... that's why I couldn't sleep. I had so much I wanted to tell you, specifically."

"Oh really? Now that's a surprise." replied Dylan, intrigued by what Violet had to say.

" _Violet looks like this scared little kitten. She's feisty, she's a biter, but all she wants is a family. Clearly, she didn't get the respect she deserved on the old tribe. Why else would she approach me? I'm the most approachable person on this tribe, after all. People always come to me when they need help." - Dylan_

"Phillip's running the whole show... he's got Bertie and Mattie under his thumb," explained Violet, "If not for me being on the bottom, Rex and Isabel would be the next to go. They're tight as thieves, being in the military together."

"Not to mention they're clearly the biggest physical threats over there." remarked Dylan with a nod.

"Tamara's probably getting buddy buddy with them, just because that's all Phillip would talk about," shrugged Violet, "She's alone, she needs friends, blah blah blah and all that bullshit. Once you, Nicholas, and Gretch are out, well... Phillip, Tamara, Mattie, and Bertie just run the show."

Dylan chuckled a little bit, "Is that so huh...? Well, clearly that can't happen, huh? Tamara's already on my shit list. If she loses immunity tomorrow? Pop goes her head. Believe me."

Violet smiled at him, probably the first smile she's had since Dustin was voted off, "Boy, would that be a sight to be seen. All I want is to see those arrogant smiles and faces drop into frowns of terror."

" _Dylan sees it the way I do! He knows he's on the bottom, and he knows that he needs me to get out of that hole! Sadly... ugh... that means we're going to need that mother fucker Rex and his puppy dog Isabel." (She gagged a little bit.) "Whatever... they'll be dead once Phillip's group is deleted." - Violet_

Dylan suddenly stretched out his limbs, "Hmmm... wonder how the candy held up after last night. Some idiot decided to leave it out in the rain."

He motioned over to the crate which had the leftover candy inside of it. It was left out in the rain overnight, and nobody pushed it under the shelter to keep it dry.

Violet rolled her eyes, "Rex's fault, of course. He was the last one to go to sleep, as usual."

Dylan walked over towards the crate and opened it. He took one glance inside, and immediately cringed, "Oh God...! Everything's wet... and there's bugs everywhere."

Sure enough, once Violet walked over to get a look for herself, most of, if not all, the candy was wet, and covered with bugs. Violet cringed as well, "Holy shit... ugh! Disgusting! Motherfucker! There goes all the candy."

" _We decided to keep the candy around for one more day, just to save the sugar, according to the others. But of course, fucking Rex decides to leave the candy out in the rain where all the candy can easily get wet being on the wet sand. Double up on that, for bugs also crawled in and got into the candy." - Violet_

Dylan reached his hand in, and pulled out a single chocolate bar, "This looks like the only good one left. No bugs, not even wet." He then handed it over to Violet, "Here, you look like you can use the chocolate."

Violet was a little disgusted by the idea of eating something that came out of that crate. But then she shrugged her shoulders, and took the candy from Dylan, "Fine. What are you going to do with the rest?"

"Bury them, probably. I'll tell the others the bad news when they wake up." promised Dylan.

Violet nodded her head, thanking Dylan for the candy bar before leaving him to do what he needed to with the ruined candy. Dylan merely smiled as Violet walked away.

" _Thanks to Violet, I have the information I need to make my next move. Tamara's got to go. That's the top priority. She's an absolute mess, and she's going to ruin my entire game if I don't stop her. I haven't lost yet, and I love it. You're going to see me win so much after this, you're going to love it." - Dylan_

A few moments later, Nicholas was the next person to wake up. After rubbing his eyes a little bit, he noticed Violet walking off away from camp, eating the candy bar. He yawned softly, and chose not to say anything right away, still tired.

A few hours later, everybody had woken up and started their day as normal. Inside the shelter, Phillip, Bertie, Mattie, and Tamara were discussing their brand new alliance.

"Last tribal council went just like I wanted," smiled Phillip, "I'm so glad you three pulled it off."

Tamara chuckled, "Don't thank us. Thank Turnbull. He leaked everything we needed to know. Now that the snake G-Money's outta here, I have his vote permanently."

Phillip nodded his head, "Good to know. Every little bit of help counts."

" _The first several days after the merge is all about getting numbers, and getting everybody on track to the goal. The goal? Eliminate the outsiders on Prusol. Of course, there's three in Nicholas, Big Gretch, and Dylan. But... I'm a complicated player in this game. It's never that easy on Survivor." - Phillip_

While the alliance spoke, Mattie drew the tribe flag by herself. She was doing quite an amazing job with her artwork, "Did everybody agree on the tribe name? Sorry for the subject change, but like, I just wanted to make sure."

Bertie nodded his head, "Yes, Mattie. It was your idea after all, was it not? Calamari, correct?"

Mattie blinked, before giggling like a school girl, "Oh! Doy! Of course I came up with that yesterday! Yeah, that's the new tribe name!"

" _Being the artist of the group, I decided to come up with the new tribe name, and paint the flag! Art was my favorite subject in high school, and I created amazing things throughout high school! Oh! And why Calamari? Because of the yellow buffs, and I wanted to go with a food themed name!" - Mattie_

"Although.. there is a concern of mine," noted Phillip, changing the subject back to the alliance, "And that's Isabel and Sgt. Rex. They're part of our tribe, but... I don't want to keep them around for too long. They're really strong as it is."

Bertie nodded softly, crossing his arms, "No doubts about that. Physical threats at that... and Isabel's got that likability factor working for her."

"So I think.. once we knock out all but one member of Prusol out, we focus our attention on them?" suggested Phillip.

Tamara nodded her head, going along with the idea, "Yeah, yeah, sure. Why not. Might as well knock 'em out if you don't need them."

" _Alright, I was right about Phillip, man. He sounds so confident, so sure about himself. Almost like G-Money in a way. From the way he speaks, the way he has everything lined up so perfectly. I never liked arrogant men, and I ain't starting now because he saved my ass. I'm playing this game too." - Tamara_

"If Turnbull's a vote for Tamara," continued Phillip, "Then we just have to vote out Nicholas and Big Gretch, and then we're set. Mattie, Bertie, you two good with this?"

Bertie nodded his head, as did Mattie, who added, "Yeah! Oh! What about Violet?"

Phillip sighed, "I... I don't know about Violet. But she's not a threat to win this game... and doesn't have the respect of anybody to pull off a move anytime soon. Don't worry about her, Mattie. She's mentally out of it."

Mattie sighed a little bit, before finishing off the last bit of the flag, "Alright..."

" _I don't know what's going to happen between me and Violet now. We haven't spoken since Bertie and I mutinied over to the Prusol tribe. She's definitely not happy with me for abandoning her... but like I told Bertie a few days ago, it's a whole new game. Even if it costs me the game, I have no regrets." - Mattie_

– – – – –

Calamari Day 20

As the afternoon set in, the ten players of the newly merged Calamari tribe had finished their daily chores and strategizing for the day. Now it was the time to party... or so they thought.

"Come on guys! Candy time!" giggled Mattie, "Don't you remember the promise we all made?"

"Oh yeah! That's right! We were going to save the candy for today, to make it last longer." remembered Nicholas, getting up out of the shelter along with Mattie.

" _Last night, we made a promise to save all the candy from the merge feast until today. Not only does it prolong our merge feast by a day... but it saves our food, which is already limited. Nobody really fished today, so if we ate all the candy yesterday evening, we would be out of luck for dinner." - Nicholas_

Mattie and Nicholas walked over towards the crate where they kept all of the remaining candy. However, Dylan never told anyone about the wet and bug rotten candy, so they were in for a surprise when the crate was opened to reveal no candy.

"Wait... what happened to all the candy? There's no candy left!" called Mattie, looking over her shoulder at the others.

"What!" shouted Sgt. Rex, "No candy! What is the meaning of this!?"

"I could have sworn there was candy left over..." muttered Bertie to himself, crossing his arms.

" _Unfortunately.. it turned out all the candy we saved for today was... just gone. No explanation, nobody knew what happened to it. It was almost like... someone was sabotaging us. Somebody who didn't want the tribe to enjoy sweet candy. I... really know of one person who would want that." - Isabel_

Nicholas suddenly remembered what he saw this morning with Violet. He then turned over to Mattie, "Well... I did see Violet walking off with a candy bar in her hand... do you think she has something to do with this?"

"Violet?" asked Mattie out loud, which caught Sgt. Rex's attention. Who immediately started to roar out loud, interrupting anything Mattie was gonna say, "WHAT?! Violet!? That little brat!"

"It does sound like something Violet would have done..." sighed Isabel, softly.

" _Of course! Who the hell else would sabotage the tribe, and steal all the candy for herself? No one other than Violet! That's who! She's been an absolute brat for the last five days, and this is how she decides to treat the tribe? I'm no fan of candy, but stealing food is unacceptable behavior!" - Sgt. Rex_

"Where is Violet anyway...?" asked Mattie, ignoring Sgt. Rex's outburst as she looked around for Violet from where she was.

Phillip pointed behind him, and there was Violet coming towards the camp area, "She's coming this way. Maybe she knows what's going on."

It didn't take long for Sgt. Rex to stand up and march towards Violet, yelling in her face, "Violet! What happened to all the candy!?"

Violet wasn't intimidated at first, crossing her arms and wiping some spittle off of her face, "It was absolutely rotten and wet, so Dylan threw it away. Now back off away from my face."

"If it was rotten and wet, then why were you eating a candy bar?" asked Nicholas, "I saw you walk off with one earlier this morning..."

" _Oh shit... why is this happening now? Now of all times? Dylan told me he was going to throw the candy away, and tell the tribe what happened... but guess what? He told them jack shit! Now I look like the bad guy! This can't be happening.. this has to be an absolute nightmare... fuck this shit!" - Violet_

Violet glared at Nicholas, getting a little worried now, "Dylan gave me that candy bar! It was the only one that was edible. The rest were crawling with bugs!"

"I have no reason to believe you, Violet!" growled Sgt. Rex, "For 20 days, you've been acting like a pain in the ass! No children of mine would behave in the way you would! Everything that has been said leads me to believe YOU, missy, are a saboteur!"

Violet started to stammer, backing away from everybody, "B-But... why don't you ask Turnbull then! Dylan! You tell them! The candy was rotten wasn't it?"

She pointed over at Dylan, who was sitting in the shelter, watching the whole thing happen with Gretch and Tamara sitting by his side. He simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Now you throw Turnbull under bus as bad guy?" asked Gretch, giving Violet the stink eye, "Turnbull would tell us if candy rotten."

"But he said he was going to! And he fucking didn't! I'm telling the truth here!" shouted Violet, her face turning a little red from anger and frustration.

" _I simply just... forgot to tell the rest of the tribe. An honest mistake. But... I'm sort of glad I forgot. Seeing the anger in Violet's face, and everyone turning against her was a pleasant sight to behold. In my mind, that's good. I find that people are even stronger when their back is against the wall." - Dylan_

Violet stepped back a little more, looking at everyone staring at her. Everyone was glaring daggers at her. Only Mattie, Isabel, and Nicholas had looks of disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Violet, but just admit that you threw the candy out because you hate everybody," shrugged Phillip, "It's extremely clear that you did it. You have never given us a reason to trust you, and the way you're acting now, and throwing people under the bus... yeah, it's not looking good for you."

Sgt. Rex scoffed, walking away from Violet in disgust, "If I had my way, she would be voted out tomorrow night. Nine to one. She doesn't deserve to stay in this game, even as a goat dragged by it's neck." Isabel sighed, and followed Sgt. Rex out of the area.

"What a loser..." muttered Dylan to himself. He got up out of the shelter, and walked away. Gretch, Nicholas, and Tamara shook their heads at the scene, and left as well.

Bertie crossed his arms, "You've got a lot of learning to do, young lady. If tomorrow night is your last night... learn from it." He then grabbed the water jug, and walked down the trail towards the water well. Phillip followed him. This left only Mattie and Violet at camp by themselves.

"Mattie...?" asked Violet, seeming a little saddened now that everybody had turned on her. She looked to her old ally for a little bit of support.

Mattie sighed, a little teary eyed, and shook her head, "I'm sorry Violet... but you did this to yourself." She then walked away from the scene as well, leaving Violet all by herself. All Violet could do at this point was fall to her knees in despair.

"Fucking... fuck! I can't do this anymore.." growled Violet, fighting back tears as she pounded at the sandy ground.

" _What's the fucking point anymore? Everyone hates me now. Everyone thinks I threw the candy away, even though Dylan is the one who did it, and it was for a good reason! What's... what's even the point anymore? I have no power, nobody likes me, and I'm either going home or becoming a goat." - Violet_

– – – – –

Calamari Day 21

It was the day of the first individual immunity challenge. Everybody was gearing up for the upcoming challenge ahead, as whoever won would set the mood and tone for the night.

Dylan, Nicholas, and Gretch were walking down the path towards tree mail, and were talking about the upcoming vote and how they were going to play it.

"What's the situation, right now? Yesterday was just... brutal... is Violet going home?" asked Nicholas, looking over at Dylan.

Dylan shook his head, "No. Violet going home is a waste of my time. Tamara's my target tonight. She's one of the biggest threats physically, and she's not loyal to our alliance anyway."

" _Voting Violet off would be an insult to my intelligence. No. I'm not going to play like that. She may be pissed about what I chose to do, but she'll grow up and get over it. Tamara's who I'm hoping to snipe tonight. As long as she doesn't win immunity, tonight will be a beautiful night, believe me." - Dylan_

Gretch nodded her head, punching her fist into her hand, "Leave that to Big Gretch! Big Gretch will destroy her in immunity challenge! Tamara muscles not like Big Gretch muscles!"

"That's what you need to do, Gretch," smirked Dylan, "Defeat Tamara, and I'll work my magic on Isabel and Sgt. Rex. According to Violet, they're on the outside of that Legaias alliance. With our votes combined, Tamara will go home. No questions asked."

"Gosh, I hope that's the case. It already sucks feeling like the outcast in the merge." sighed Nicholas, putting his hands in his pockets.

" _While I may be on the bottom, I genuinely feel the safest out of all three of us. Big Gretch is physically strong, and Turnbull is likely seen as the leader of Prusol anyway. Me? Well... I'm a likable guy, but that's all I have going for me. I just hope that my social game helps me through this." - Nicholas_

Nicholas continued to talk, "But what's our plan if Tamara wins immunity? We need a back up plan just in case."

Dylan shook his head, "Well, that's not going to be a problem, Nick. Tamara's not going to win immunity. If you start thinking like that, you might as well pack your bags. We won't give up, you hear me?"

Nicholas nodded his head, sighing softly, "Yeah... yeah I suppose you're right, Turnbull. Sorry for being doubtful."

"That's because Big Gretch gonna crush Tamara! Big Gretch will win every immunity! Watch me!" grinned Gretch, once again pounding her fist into her hand.

"Well.. at least the physical challenges." chuckled Dylan, softly. Nicholas also laughed lightly alongside Dylan.

" _Am not scared of Tamara. She may be big and muscular. But Big Gretch got meat on body! Tamara all bone and muscle! Perhaps not smart. But you not need brain all the time! These challenges been tests of strength! That easy for me! Look at these!" (She shows off her big arms) "All power!" - Gretch_

A few moments later, the trio collected tree mail, and returned to camp with news of the upcoming immunity challenge.

"Time for first challenge!" grinned Gretch, "Time for Big Gretch to show you all true power!"

Sgt. Rex laughed, pounding his chest at her, "Just watch at what the Rex Train can do, lady! I'll be the one walking away with the necklace!"

"Hah! You're both insane if you think you're going to beat me." chuckled Tamara, showing off her muscles to both Sgt. Rex and Gretch.

" _Today's the first immunity challenge, and I'm pretty excited about it. I don't care about appearing too much of a physical threat. Honestly, I've already got many targets on my back, man. Not like they need another reason to come after me. They just better know who they messing with over there." - Tamara_

The tribe was set to leave for the immunity challenge... but there was one small problem.

"Where's Violet, everyone? It's time for the challenge... yet she's nowhere to be found." noted Isabel, calling everyone's attention.

"That's odd... where the hell could she be at a time like this?" asked Bertie, placing his hands on his hips.

Mattie sighed, "She's been upset since yesterday's fight. She didn't even sleep with the rest of us in the shelter. Heck, like, I haven't seen her at all today."

"Well we can't leave without her!" grumbled Sgt. Rex.

" _Survivor rules dictate that all tribe members be present at every challenge! That means we can't leave until Violet leaves with us! Her attitude has just driven the Rex Train up a brick wall! I can't work with a bratty, irresponsible saboteur! Nobody like her would have lasted long in the military!" - Sgt. Rex_

Far away from camp, Violet was walking off towards a secluded area with all of her belongings. She had plans of her own... and they were all entirely selfish.

"Fuck these people... fuck this game... I already lost, so what's the point." muttered Violet under her breath.

" _After last night's stupid fucking revelation that I'm somehow this horrible saboteur... I just about had enough of this game. The cold nights, the horrible people, and the fact that I have no power left because of some washed up celebrity? Fuck this. I'd rather play horrible video games instead." - Violet_

Violet simply sat down on a rock, and contemplated a few things, silent in her own thoughts.

Around a corner, Jeff Probst walked towards her, obviously being called to have a chat with Violet.

"Hey, Violet. I heard you wanted to see me?" asked Jeff, a little concerned.

Violet nodded her head, "Yeah... Jeff, I'm just not having a good time right now. This game, man... this game brings out the worst in humanity."

Jeff sat down across from her on a log, and clasped his hands together, "Yeah, this game will do that to you, and to others. What happened?"

Violet sighed, "Dylan and I had to throw out rotten and wet candy... and apparently, he told me he was going to tell the others what we did... instead I feel like he threw me under the bus to get everyone's hatred and scrutiny. Nobody in that camp likes me anymore. I'm either the next to go, or the goat at the Final 3."

"Obviously not a good position whatsoever, especially in a game where relationships mean everything," replied Jeff, "You've had quite the emotional roller coaster in the last six days, haven't you?"

Violet nodded her head, "I just... I had a firm grasp on how this game was played. I put up with the cold nights, the rain, the bugs... because I had everything under control. People did what I wanted... the losers whined and bitched... kind of like I am right now."

Jeff chuckled a little bit, "Well, at least you're being honest."

"Shut up Jeff," muttered Violet, "But... I can't do this anymore. I want out. This game just simply isn't fun if nobody will let you play. I can't sit on the sidelines like some idiots can."

"Are you saying you want to quit this game?" asked Jeff.

Violet sighed, not giving Jeff a straight answer, looking away in frustration.

"Let me ask you this.. being a video game streamer online," explained Jeff, "Has there ever been any game where you just said... enough was enough?"

Violet nodded her head, "Oh yeah... recently, the release of Cuphead 3 made me rage quit at the first boss. First. Fucking. Boss. Almost broke my head set in half after that session, man..."

Jeff chuckled a little bit, which made Violet roll her eyes a little bit.

"Alright Violet, enough beating around the bush," said Jeff, after his little laugh, "Are you going to quit this game? Or are you going to tough it out the last 18 days?"

Violet sighed, looking off in the distance for awhile before giving her decision.

– – – – –

"Come on in guys!"

The remaining players arrived at the challenge area.

"Guys ready for today's immunity challenge?"

Everyone nodded excitedly.

"I'll take back tribal immunity from you guys."

Isabel did so.

"Alright, you guys might have noticed that guys had to come to the immunity challenge without Violet. Violet and I had a talk far away from camp regarding her feelings and her position at camp, and in the game in general."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"So Violet has decided to..."

…

…

…

"...quit the game of Survivor. She just couldn't take it any longer. So she has packed her bags, and returned to America. We're now down to the Final 9 just like that."

Nobody was sad to hear that Violet quit the game. Dylan did look a little perturbed, while Isabel, Nicholas, and Mattie felt a little bad for Violet, and how her last day went for her.

"However... that doesn't mean we're going to cancel today's immunity challenge, and the upcoming tribal council. Today, you'll have your immunity challenge, and tomorrow you will attend tribal council, where the first member of the jury will be decided."

Everyone nodded their heads, seemingly okay with the decision to have tribal council despite Violet's quit.

"For today's challenge, it's a simple endurance competition. You will be stranded out in the water, standing on a single pillar. If you step down off of that pillar, or fall off that pillar, you're out of the challenge. Last person left standing wins immunity, safe from the vote, and has a 1 in 8 shot at winning this game. The losers go to tribal council, and vote off the first member of our jury. Just like that, the game just got a lot more complicated. Let's get started."

All nine players swam out to their respective pillars, and got ready for the challenge to begin.

"And with that, this challenge has begun..."

– 10 minutes in... –

As was usual in endurance competitions like this one, Jeff would be coming out with various food items to tempt the Survivors off their pillars.

The first item Jeff came out with was a jar of chocolate chip cookies.

"Chocolate chip cookies! How many people are eager to throw away immunity for some cookies?"

Phillip raised his hand almost immediately, "I'll do it! After what happened to our candy, I'm in the mood for something sweet."

With that said, Phillip dove into the water, swimming back to shore. Following him off their pillars were Mattie and Bertie. Mattie wanted cookies as well, and Bertie just figured he wouldn't last long up on the pillar.

"And just like that, Bertie, Mattie, and Phillip are all out of the challenge. All three of you can enjoy all the chocolate chip cookies inside this jar." Jeff then handed the jar of cookies over to Phillip.

Tamara rolled her head around, chuckling lightly at pretty much her entire alliance giving up immunity for cookies. Nicholas and Isabel stood still on their pillars, looking pretty calm, as was Dylan. Gretch and Sgt. Rex were eyeing eachother up, flexing and showing off.

"I've never lost to a woman of your size! Ever! The Rex Train bows to no one!" grinned Sgt. Rex, pounding his fists together.

Gretch laughed, showing off her big arms, "You be in shame after losing to me!"

– 20 minutes in... –

Jeff walked out with a single cheeseburger and fries.

"One person can drop out right now for a cheeseburger and some french fries! Who wants it?" asked Jeff.

Suddenly, Sgt. Rex lost all concentration he had on Gretch, turning to look at Jeff, "Wait! Did you just say cheeseburger? What's on that burger, Jeff?"

Jeff looked at the burger a little closely, "Let's see... there's lettuce, there's tomato, there's cheese of course... oh! And let's not forget the little bits of bacon on to-"

"Bacon? That's what the Rex Train needs, baby!" replied Sgt. Rex, diving into the water, swimming for that bacon and cheese burger.

Gretch laughed, "Hah! Guess you lose to Big Gretch, huh big man?"

"Sorry lady, the Rex Train loses easily to a bacon sandwich!" yelled Sgt. Rex from the shore, taking a big old bite out of the burger.

"Sgt. Rex is out of the challenge, and we're down to five players left!"

Tamara, Nicholas, and Dylan still looked comfortable out on the pillar. Dylan was mostly lost in thoughts all alone, wondering what his next move was now that Violet just quit the game. Isabel started to look a little uncomfortable, while Gretch was getting a little anxious.

– 30 minutes in... –

Jeff soon walked out with a big plate, that was covered.

"Alright guys, another single dish. Something juicy, something meaty, something delicious... but if you want it, you gotta drop out right now."

At first, nobody felt like jumping off. Suddenly, Gretch started to sniff, noticing a familiar scent in the air.

"Is that... is that pork? Smell like pig pork." said Gretch to herself, still sniffing the air.

"Only one way to find out, Big Gretch." chuckled Jeff, "Jump off that pillar, and get something to eat!"

Dylan whispered over to Gretch, "Gretch, no! Don't do it! We need to beat Tamara!"

"Sorry Turnbull, but need to know what meat that is! If pork, tons of meat for Big Gretch!" smiled Gretch as she did a belly flop off the pillar and into the water. Dylan merely shook his head in frustration.

"Just like that, Big Gretch is out of the challenge, and we're down to four!"

Jeff then unwrapped the meat from it's tin foil, revealing that it was, indeed, a pork tenderloin. Gretch licked her lips, and started to dig into the meat almost immediately.

"How are you feeling, Isabel?" asked Nicholas, looking over at her.

"I'm feeling fine... I'm uh... just sort of waiting to see what Jeff's going to bring out next." replied Isabel with a light smile.

Nicholas laughed along with her, "Yeah, no question about that! But I'm willing to go for a long time."

"Then be ready to be here all night, little Nick." grinned Tamara, stretching her arms out in preparation for a long night ahead.

– 40 minutes in... –

Jeff carried in a giant tray, cradled in his arms. He then sat it down on the table with the rest of the eliminated players.

"Okay guys, got the biggest prize right here. If someone drops out right now, this food is all for them. If nobody takes this... well, then it has to be eaten by somebody. Guess who that is?" Jeff smiled, pointing behind him at the eliminated players.

Jeff soon revealed the food item... a large pepperoni pizza.

As soon as the item was revealed, Nicholas and Isabel leaped off their pillars, swimming for the pizza.

"Nicholas and Isabel are both out! We're down to Tamara and Turnbull! Will one of you jump down for pizza? Or are we going to go just a little bit longer?"

Dylan cursed under his breath, trying his best to not drop out of the challenge. He needed to beat Tamara just so he could eliminate her at tomorrow night's tribal council.

Tamara then whispered over to Dylan, "I've got your back, Turnbull... trust me, man... I'll get them to eliminate whoever you want... that cool?"

Dylan grumbled a little, looking away from her. He then sighed, whispering something over to her. Tamara immediately nodded at his request, "That's a promise, man. You're safe if you drop..."

Nobody could hear what they were saying, so nobody knew what was going on.

In the end...

…

…

…

…

...Dylan sighed and hopped into the water, dropping out of the challenge.

"And just like that, Turnbull's out. TAMARA WINS THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE!"

Everyone clapped and cheered for Tamara.

"Nearly everybody dropped out for food tonight. All except for you, Tamara! Tomorrow night, you're safe at the vote, and cannot be voted out! As for the rest of you, after coming 22 days into this game, someone just had their final meal tonight. One of you will become the first member of the jury tomorrow night. See you all then."

– – – – –

Calamari Night 21

After a rather short immunity challenge, there was still the matter of Violet's quit to discuss once the tribe got back to camp.

"Just like that, huh? Folded like a piece of wet tissue paper." muttered Bertie, crossing his arms as he sat inside the shelter.

"I have no remorse for her!" declared Sgt. Rex, "Quitters get no respect from me! She didn't have power, she didn't have respect, and she took our food! Good riddance!"

" _So many people get this once in a lifetime chance to play one of the greatest games known to man kind... and then you have Violet. Young, immature, rude... and apparently when things just aren't going her way, she quits. I don't have any respect for that. She will have to live with that decision." - Bertie_

Mattie sighed a little bit, "I just felt really, really bad for her. I feel like, you know... we really treated her like crap on her last day. Even if she did steal the food, I think we were too harsh about silly little candy."

Isabel nodded her head, "Mattie's right. Candy wasn't that important to attack Violet. Be disappointed in her all you want... but it wasn't that serious of an issue."

"Then she shouldn't have blamed others for her mistake. Be big woman. Own up to mistake." replied Gretch with a shrug.

" _I don't think Violet had to quit the game. While what she did was really... really bad from a Survivor stand point... even I have to admit it was silly to get mad at her over silly little candy. I own up to my faults... but everybody else still wants to berate Violet behind her back. That's... I don't like it." - Mattie_

A few moments later, right before bed, Dylan, Gretch, and Nicholas were talking about the next move to make.

"Did you and Tamara make a deal up there?" asked Nicholas, "Just asking, because you two were whispering up there."

Dylan shook her head, "Believe me, no deal was made up those pillars. I decided it wasn't worth my time, her time, or your time to watch me sit up there and duel Tamara when it looked like she was going to win anyway. What's the point?" He then shrugged.

" _Of course I'm going to make a deal with her! Are you nuts? You always accept a deal on Survivor, and work it to your advantage! Tomorrow night, someone's going to go home, but regardless who that person is, I'm making sure that the vote that follows it goes in my favor. Trust me on this." - Dylan_

"Then what is plan now? If not Tamara, than who?" asked Gretch, scratching her head.

Dylan smirked, "We're going to make a decoy vote. Violet gave me some helpful information despite her stupid quit. Isabel and Rex are on the bottom of that alliance... so let's vote for one of them, and say we were the ones approached. Call out Phillip and those looney toons for 'lying to us'." He used the last phrase in air quotes.

Nicholas' eyes widened, and he grew a smile, "Holy cow! That's a great plan, Turnbull! But... it just sucks that one of us may be going home tomorrow night..."

"Not if we do our best!" grinned Gretch, placing a hand on Nicholas' shoulder, "Turnbull. Leave plan to us. We convince Legaias tribe to vote off... uhh..."

"Isabel, I guess." shrugged Dylan, throwing a name out there.

"Yes! Isabel! We vote Isabel out. We get votes for you!" grinned Gretch, giving Nicholas a hard back on the pack, almost making him fall over.

" _Well... for once Big Gretch decides to think for herself... but not in the way I expected. For once, she's actually... smart? Holy crap that sounded weird to say; Big Gretch being smart. Anyway, she has the right idea. Maybe it will drive suspicion if we're seen speaking game with Phillip's group." - Nicholas_

– – – – –

Calamari Day 22

With tribal council just hours away, there was plenty to do, plenty to talk about, and so many minds wavering every second.

Walking down the trail towards where the Legaias tribe would set up a meeting, Isabel and Sgt. Rex were talking about their Plan B now that Tamara was safe for the vote.

"I don't know about you, but I'm staying loyal to Legaias tonight!" declared Sgt. Rex, firmness in his voice, "Our target won immunity, so another Prusol member goes instead!"

Isabel nodded her head, "Yeah, I suppose that's for the best, I think. I don't... really want to ruffle any feathers by making our move against Phillip tonight..."

" _With Tamara safe, I suppose we could make a move against Phillip... but... I don't know. I think it's too early. Rex said it best, I think. We need to just stay loyal to Legaias for now. There's no harm in staying with them for the next vote... but it can't be forever. We have to break away soon." - Isabel_

Sgt. Rex nodded with a grin on his face, "Agreed, Buchanan. My lips are sealed shut! Now, let's attend this Legaias meeting!"

Isabel and Sgt. Rex soon caught up with the rest of the majority Legaias alliance. Phillip, Bertie, Mattie, and Tamara were already there, discussing the vote.

"Here they are!" smiled Mattie, "Now let's get this discussion on the road!"

Phillip smiled as well, nodding over in Isabel and Sgt. Rex's direction for a minute before speaking, "Well... it's just a matter of who we vote off first. Who's the biggest threat between Turnbull, Big Gretch, and Nicholas?"

" _The first merge vote is always the most difficult part, I think. Even more so now that Violet quit the game, so the first member of the jury is going to be chosen tonight instead of it being the final pre jury vote! That's kind of scary. Suddenly, now I need to start watching what votes I have." - Phillip_

Tamara raised her hand first, "I'll go first. Think we should vote little Nick out first. That kid's got something Turnbull and Big Gretch don't have; social skills. That boy knows how to make friends."

"Aww, but I like Nicky!" frowned Mattie, "I was kinda looking forward to voting off anybody but him!"

"I agree with Mattie," replied Phillip, "Besides, I think Big Gretch is more of a physical threat, if you ask me. She's going to be difficult to beat later on."

Sgt. Rex laughed, "Nah! Keep that woman around! I need the competition! She's about the only one that can keep up with the Rex Train, baby!"

Tamara rolled her eyes at him, "...while I respectfully disagree with Rex's opinion... he's right. Big Gretch is a threat, but she's dumb as shit, man. You tell her to do something, she does it. No questions asked. Loyal, dumb as shit, and just the muscle woman of Prusol. Well.. besides me, of course."

" _Turnbull and I made a deal to keep him safe, and in turn get Nicholas voted off. I've got no idea what Turnbull sees in this idea... but I need the guy's trust. So I gotta bite my tongue, and get Nicholas outta here tonight. I like the kid, hate Gretch... but kinda need Turnbull's trust right about now." - Tamara_

"Hmm... and what about Dylan, then?" asked Bertie, curiously, "Should we consider the possibility of voting him off?"

Tamara shook her head, "Hell no! We're using Turnbull right now! He's been telling me everything right now. He's a source of information, Bertie. I've got it under control, man."

"Well then... if you say so." chuckled Bertie, keeping most of his thoughts to himself.

" _That's a rather odd response coming from Tamara. Why do we even need Dylan's vote when we have the majority? Or even his information for that matter? I thought you were ready to leave your old tribe... but now I'm getting strange senses that something's up. Something don't feel right." - Bertie_

Phillip nodded his head, "Still, we need to come to a decision. Tamara and Rex want Nicholas out... and a few of us want Big Gretch out instead. What's the final decision?"

After a few more minutes of discussing the possibilities, the big Legaias alliance came to a decision between Nicholas and Big Gretch.

A few moments later, Sgt. Rex, Isabel, Mattie, and Tamara left the area to prepare for tribal council. Bertie and Phillip stayed behind, as Bertie had something on his mind.

"Keep an eye on Dylan, Phillip... especially when he's around Tamara," warned Bertie, "My bullshit senses are tingling."

Phillip nodded his head, giving Bertie a thumbs up as they split off from the area away from camp.

A few hours later before tribal council, Phillip, Mattie, Gretch, and Nicholas were having a last minute discussion about the vote.

"We may be outsider, but outsider helpful to overall game!" explained Gretch, "Use us Prusol people. Vote off Isabel tonight?"

Mattie and Phillip both gave eachother odd looks. They were a little surprised to see Gretch bring up such a plan in the first place.

" _Hours before tribal council, our plans have been set in place... and then Big Gretch comes along, and starts proposing a plan to blindside Isabel! Like, seriously, trying her best to get people to vote with her alliance! At the same time, it got me thinking about how dangerous Isabel could become!" - Mattie_

"It's been pretty obvious that Rex and Isabel have a connection deeper than any pair here," said Nicholas, continuing off of Gretch when she blanked out, "They're military, they have honor, code. Not to mention, they're really strong. Military trained, I'm sure!"

Phillip gave it some thought before he spoke, "Hmm... you make a valid point. I mean.. Sgt. Rex was the guy running the show before Violet turned things around, I suppose. Well... more so Bertie and I choosing to save her ass, but that's just my take on it."

"And Isabel's more likable than Rex!" replied Nicholas, "Isabel's super sweet, nobody's going to be mad at her if she makes it to the Final 3. Rex... nobody really likes Rex enough to award him one million dollars."

" _Tonight's a very important vote. My alliance of Bertie, myself, Mattie, and Tamara pretty much control everything going into the vote. We can choose to stick to the plan... or make our move now, and blindside Isabel. Isabel's a really likable girl, and she's going to win easily if she makes it." - Phillip_

"Give it thought! Maybe it best idea for you!" grinned Gretch.

Nicholas nodded his head, "Yeah, you know? It's never too early to make a move. If you wait too long... you could be sorry."

Both Phillip and Mattie nodded, watching as Gretch and Nicholas walked off to pack up for tribal council.

" _I like to think of this as Prusol's last stand. If our plan fails, one of the three of us is going home tonight. I... don't think it's going to be me, but those words would be the words I eat when I'm voted out tonight! So... I'm just going to pray to God, and hold onto hope that Phillip takes this bait." - Nicholas_

– – – – –

The Calamari tribe arrived at tribal council.

"Wow guys, so much has happened in the last four days. You went through a surprising quit, and now not a day later will another person leave the game just hours after Violet. Isabel, take me through what happened with Violet the other day." asked Jeff.

"Well... we were going to save our candy that you gave us at the merge feast for the next day. But next morning, they were all gone. Nicholas caught Violet eating a chocolate bar... and the accusations started to fly after that." replied Isabel.

"Sgt. Rex, I know you have no love lost between you and Violet. What happened after that? Did you go off on her?" asked Jeff.

Sgt. Rex laughed a little bit.

"You know the Rex Train too well, Jeff! I do not tolerate saboteurs in my camp! In the military, I can't even begin to explain the consequences if you are caught breaking the rules! It is far from tolerated there, and I won't tolerate it out in the highlands of Australia!" replied Sgt. Rex.

"Tamara, do you think Violet's quit affected how tonight's vote was going to play out... or did things get a little easier after she left the game?" asked Jeff.

Tamara shook her head.

"Nah, Jeff, Violet was a non-factor in this game, I guess. I wasn't working with her... nobody really liked the bitch... so for me? This game hardly changed with her quit." replied Tamara.

"Mattie, up until you betrayed the Legaias tribe, and joined Prusol, you were a buddy of Violet's. What's your take on her quit?" asked Jeff.

Mattie sighed a little bit.

"Well... it was really emotional for me, because I really liked Violet. She and I got along really well, and then we just... drifted apart. But this morning, I decided to move on, forget about the past... and just play the game I signed up to play!" replied Mattie.

Bertie smiled lightly at her.

"Bertie, speaking of the game, how are you planning this vote tonight? There's a clear line in the sand drawn between Legaias and Prusol. What's the right move to make tonight?" asked Jeff.

"Everyone's opinion will vary, Jeff, but for me personally I think it's just best to stick with the people you trust. Things ain't gonna work out if you just play like a follower." replied Bertie.

Mattie and Phillip nodded their heads in agreement.

"Big Gretch, how safe are you tonight? Do you think you'll see the Australian sun tomorrow morning? Or do you think you'll be taking a shower at Ponderosa?" asked Jeff.

"Well, taking shower at this... uhhh... Pond.. Osa? Whatever that is. Sound better than breakfast with Dustin. That for sure! But... not feel safe. Hope to see sun tomorrow!" replied Gretch.

"Okay, it's time to vote, Bertie, you're up."

– – –

Dylan's Vote: "Win or lose. I get what I want. And I always get what I want, believe me." (Isabel)

Gretch's Vote: "Hope Turnbull big move works!" (Isabel)

Phillip's Vote: "It's time to start playing the game for real. It's business, not a pleasure cruise." (?)

– – –

"If anyone has the hidden immunity idol, and you want to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Nobody did anything.

"Ok, once the votes are read, the decision is final, person voted out must leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes."

First vote, Isabel. (She looked a little stunned, but didn't react very much.)

…

Isabel. Two votes Isabel.

…

…

Isabel. Three votes Isabel. (Dylan nodded his head, looking over at the other players. Both Nicholas and Gretch held their breaths.)

…

…

…

Nicholas. One vote Nicholas, three votes Isabel. (Nicholas smiled lightly, and hung his head low. Gretch muttered out a, "Wow...", while Dylan nodded. Tamara winked subtly at him.)

…

Nicholas. Two votes Nicholas, three votes Isabel.

…

…

Nicholas. Tied, three votes Nicholas, three votes Isabel. (Phillip kept his attention on the urn in front of him. Nicholas had a hand on his bag, ready to accept his fate.)

…

…

…

Nicholas. That's four votes Nicholas, three votes Isabel.

…

Eighth person voted out of Survivor Australian Highlands, and the first member of our jury, Nicholas. That's five, that's enough. You need to bring me your torch.

"Wow guys, what a game it's been," smiled Nicholas, gathering his things, and bringing his torch up to Jeff, "Good luck, and may the best man, or woman, win!"

"Nicholas, the tribe has spoken."

He snuffed out his torch.

"Time for you to go."

Nicholas waved goodbye to the rest of the tribe as he walked down the path out of tribal council.

"And with that, the battle has begun. Prusol's clearly in a predicament, but in the game of Survivor, nothing is as certain as it appears. There is no need to do the mutiny twist any longer, as you are one tribe. Grab your torches, and head on back. Good night."

– – – – –

 **Violet's Final Words**

"Survivor is such a complicated game. From all the bugs, to the cold rain splattering on your face. From Day 1, I knew it was going to be a tough road. But then I gained power, and I had fun with that power, eliminating idiots like Simon and Norma. But... Survivor isn't fun when you're not in control."

 **Nicholas' Final Words**

"I had such a fun time on Survivor, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! I made many friends that I will keep in touch with for years to come. G-Money was cool, Turnbull was amazing, Phillip was amazing, and Mattie was fun too! I wish you all luck, and I'll be rooting for you from the jury side!"

VOTE

Isabel – Gretch, Dylan, and Nicholas

Nicholas – Tamara, Bertie, Mattie, Isabel, Phillip, and Sgt. Rex

 _ **Final Thoughts on Violet Pierce:**_ Violet's whole personality was determined after the season was cast. I... really didn't know how I wanted to go about Violet's personality. I had her labeled as a college drop out, and gamer girl. But... then I decided to have her be more arrogant, and bratty, and of course, the main bitch of the season. Similar to that of Luciana Vargas last season.

Having Violet be the season quit was... quite an easy choice, honestly. I wanted a quit for the second season... and originally it was going to be Dustin. While you can still label Dustin as a 'quit' since he voted himself out, it's still not official. Violet's quit was a mixture of Colton Cumbie and Julie McGee. Loss of control, and being blamed for stealing food and being alienated afterwards.

Violet was clearly a hated character, and being a quitter prevents Violet from ever returning to Survivor. If you liked her... yay! She had fans! If you didn't... I hope you're satisfied with her ending! Her ending was a little rushed, in my opinion. But I felt like the fight scene before her quit said all that needed to be said about why she chose to quit. It didn't need to be prolonged.

 _ **Final Thoughts on Nicholas Massey:**_ Say it ain't so! One of the youngest players this season leaves the game, and in high spirits too! Nicholas was a fun character to write for. He had parents that pretty much spoiled him, and got him to places just based on his looks alone. In this game, he managed to play a decent game without needing to rely on his good looks.

Nicholas was a strong contender for the winner spot, not going to lie. He was ticking every box I wanted in a winner... but honestly? As the season went on? The more I felt like it was too good to be true. Nicholas was a likable guy, but... not a satisfying winner in my book. Having him be the merge boot is a good ending in my opinion.

But of course, Nicholas not winning the game opens the door for him to return to another season, and he was one of the popular characters this season! Sorry to all his fans that hoped he would go just a little bit farther, but alas, in the game of Survivor, nothing is fair, nothing is as it should be... but that's why we love the game! It's unpredictable!

No Episode 8 preview this week, because Episode 8 is going to go up this week! (At least I'm going to attempt to do it... no promises!) If it's delayed, then expect a preview, lol.

If you enjoyed what you read, why not follow me, or write up a review about the episode or predictions about what might happen next? Every review helps me learn who is well liked, who is hated, and what the general consensus is. I try my best to update regularly, so if you enjoy my Survivor series, follow me for more adventures.


	9. Authors Note: VERY IMPORTANT!

Hello guys! TJBambi93 here! Sadly, not a new episode of Survivor: Australian Highlands. It's been almost a year since the last episode was released, and… yeah, I think it's fair to say this season will be cancelled. You can see the final results on the Australian Highlands page on the TJ's Survivor Series wikia if you so choose to!

The troubles with this season started with a faulty keyboard on my old laptop. The keys on the keyboard started to mess up, and not work as intended. This made typing and writing more difficult because it was frustrating to get things working right. The 5 key was busted, and would constantly act like it was pressed down all the time. I finally managed to disable it with a downloaded application, but honestly it still messed up the keyboard.

I do have a new laptop, everything's working fine, but at the same time, I fell out of writing the season. I will say the OC only cast bored me to death. I never realized how much I enjoyed writing canon characters than I did once I started writing Australian Highlands. Kermadec Islands I never had this issue. Things worked fine, and I think that was because it had fan-made fan characters for me to work with. Either way, I'm not going to work with OCs again for a long time.

So what's coming next for my series? Is it cancelled? No. Is a new season coming? No. Not for awhile, sadly.

What I've decided to do for the time being is go back to my older seasons, and re-write them a little bit. Add more content to those who lacked in personality, such as several female castaways, Daniel in Green Hill, and so on. Fix up a few storylines, such as the whole story arc with Angela in Marble. Give better winner's edits to characters like Curtis, Beat, Squall, Samantha, Robert. While I think their edits were good enough, I feel like just adding a little more to make more sense.

Right now, I'm working on re-writing Survivor Green Hill. You can read the first four episodes re-written right now! For future updates, you can follow me on my Twitter at TjlovesMidna! Warning, I can be a little political and tweet a lot about Fire Emblem. :P

Also, given how busy I've gotten IRL and other things, I've decided that I will not be making major updates to my Wikia. I will still update some main pages, but individual character and tribe pages I won't be touching anymore. If anyone wants to jump on and help me out on the Wikia, that would absolutely be fine with me.

As for a potential new season.. I've come up with several ideas, twists, and even talked about the cast on Twitter and Discord before. However, things might change between now and when I decide to work on it. So don't take anything I've said in the past as truth. Things can change. :)

Anyway, I apologize for the long wait for… literally anything from me! I want to return to writing, and I think this is the best way I can do so. I hope you'll look forward to the future of my series! :D


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